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Guernsey Police have hit back strongly at social media claims that an officer used excessive force against a woman which allegedly left her unconscious and with lasting injuries, arguing the complaint had no grounds while also refusing to publish body worn camera footage of the incident.
UK based journalist Rebecca Tidy posted a thread on X (Twitter) alleging that a Guernsey Police Officer “threw” a woman “so violently” she hit her head and was later hospitalised and now “often needs help to walk”.
These claims are linked to an incident involving a serious assault at a bar in the Pollet in February, for which a man was arrested after resisting officers. He has since pleaded guilty to those offences in court.
Guernsey Police have now said the social media claims aren’t “an accurate or fair overview of the facts”, and it has taken the “unusual step” to respond to the serious accusations being made online.
But it said it was “deeply regrettable” the woman fell and was injured but rejected any suggestion that the actions were “excessive” in the context of an “incredibly volatile situation”.
A formal complaint was later submitted based on this use of force, and after investigation it was found that the conduct of the officer did not amount to misconduct.
The complaint was later reviewed by the Police Complaints Commission on appeal. After viewing the footage, the PCC agreed with the Police’s original assessment.
The Chair of the Commission said it was in the public interest to notify that it has considered the matter: “The Commission has viewed the CCTV and body worn footage of the incident and has upheld the decision made that the conduct of the officer did not amount to misconduct”.
During the struggle to arrest the man “a group of his friends and relatives were trying to forcibly interfere. The officers were significantly outnumbered and one of our officers was assaulted by a member of the crowd of people - an assault a woman has since been convicted of,” Police said.
The Police admitted that force was used when a women continued attempting to involve herself in the incident after additional officers arrived, but denied it was excessive.
“Officers must always use force proportionately and while seeking to push people back who were involving themselves in this incident, an officer has used his hand to push a woman back, she stumbled backwards for several steps before falling into a parked car and hitting her head,” Deputy Chief Officer Phil Breban said.
“Officers tended to her while their colleagues continued dealing with the incident. It is unfortunate, but a necessary use of minimal force by the officer in order to protect himself, his colleagues, other members of the public and also the detained person.”
Below you can read the original social media chain which included the allegations of excessive force and the ongoing consequences for the woman:
An innocent 46-year-old woman was knocked unconscious + hospitalised – with serious long-term injuries – by a police officer in Feb. 2024.
— Rebecca Tidy (@DrRebeccaTidy) May 4, 2024
Yet the police are refusing to release the officer’s body cam footage or CCTV, only allowing her + a friend to view it at the station.
Despite public and political pressure, Guernsey Police have declined to release the footage: “We do not believe the CCTV supports the claims being made by a small number of people on social media who are, respectfully, regular critics of Guernsey Police... It would not be appropriate to release the footage in these circumstances and when also considering Data Protection Laws, given the large number of people identifiable,” DCO Breban added.
“As a service if there are circumstances we could have handled better, we acknowledge it and learn from it. This incident was not such an example... we would urge members of the public not to interfere with violent and volatile incidents.
“No one welcomes being arrested or seeing a loved one arrested. On occasions, people have legitimate complaints about our officers and we always seek to fully investigate all complaints, some of which are independently reviewed by the Police Complaints Commission. We certainly don’t think we get everything right and there have been plenty of examples of complaints being upheld, or even officers being prosecuted and convicted of criminal offences while carrying out their duties.”
You can read DCO Breban’s full statement below:
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