On Air Now
Capital Breakfast with Jordan North, Chris Stark and Sian Welby 6am - 10am
28 September 2011, 13:06 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
A former Nottinghamshire police officer has been jailed for 8 weeks for assaulting a man while arresting him.
33 year old Tim Allatt from Nottingham was found guilty of common assault last month.
During the two-day trial, the court heard that Allatt punched the suspect and knocked him to the ground, threw him against a wall and then dragged him face-down onto the floor before kicking him in the chest area.
The man was treated for a collapsed lung and facial injuries.
Allatt, who was an authorised firearms officer, denied the charge and said he used reasonable force to detain the man who was being pursued by officers on suspicion of stealing a car.
'Breach of Trust'
Sentencing Allatt District Judge Diane Baker said:
"Your level of culpability is high.
"You were a serving police officer at the time. An assault on a member of the public by a serving police officer is an abuse of power and a breach of trust.''
While the inquiry was ongoing, Allatt was dismissed from the force for another matter.
Detective Chief Inspector Mick Windmill-Jones, of the Professional Standards Directorate, said:
"Officers are fully trained to use appropriate restraint when carrying out an arrest, and in this case Allatt acted outside the code of conduct by using excessive force.
"His actions caused injury to another person and failed to meet the highest standards of behaviour, integrity and professionalism that we expect from our officers and staff.
"The sentence today reflects Allatt's total lack of regard for his responsibility to protect the public and was an abuse of his position."
Allatt's solicitor Damian Kelly said an immediate notice of appeal against Allatt's conviction and sentence had been lodged with the court and also with Nottingham Crown Court.