Are PC Karl Bartlett and Simon Hardwood symptoms of a failing police force?
PC Karl Bartlett has been spared prison. The 42-year-old copper head-butted a 14-year-old boy and manhandled him into the side of a parked car. The lad was left with “unquantifiable emotional injuries”. It was a “disgraceful incident of gratuitous violence”.
The boy was in a car being driving by Lee Rosier, who was using his mobile phone. Both wer forcibly removed from their car.
PC Karl Bartlett is an officer with the Territorial Support Group. That’s the militia-styled Territorial Support Group. PC Simon Hardwood was in the TSG. He pushed Ian Tomlinson to the ground at the G20 protests in 2009. He hit him with a baton. Ian Tomlonson died. He was unlawfully killed. Hardwood used “excessive and unreasonable force”.
At Westminster Magistrates Court, PC Bartlett has been convicted of common assault. He was sentenced to three months’ jail, suspended for 12 months, handed an 18 hours’ community service order and instructed to pay £500 costs with £500 compensation to the victim.
Ben Brandan, for the defence, said:
“This was accidental, reckless contact. It is a consequence of using too much force. He is a big, strong man on a lighter, smaller teenager.”
Accidental and reckless? Is that possible?
PC Harwood entered a plea of not guilty in October 2011; his trial is set to open at the Old Bailey in June 2012.
Posted: 2nd, April 2012 | In: Reviews Comments (11) | TrackBack | Permalink
