Police officer filmed restraining and punching man who 'attacked female colleague' is found not guilty of assault and strangulation

Daily Mail​

08-05-2025

A policeman who was accused of 'brutality' after a video of him raining punches onto the head of a prone suspect went viral has been cleared on all counts by a jury.
A shocking clip of PC Richard Williams punching the man in Porthmadog, north Wales at least nine times was viewed 500,000 times within a matter of hours.
In response, politicians demanded an urgent investigation into whether he had used 'excessive force', with a Conservative Senedd member branding it 'police brutality'.
But after going on trial for assault causing actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation, PC Williams insisted he had been defending a female colleague.
The 43-year-year old denied using excessive violence, saying he had acted after the suspect, Steven Clark, had gone towards PC Einir Williams in what looked like a 'rugby tackle.'
Today a jury at Caernarfon Crown Court cleared the North Wales Police officer on both counts.
PC Williams is the second officer from the same force to be acquitted by a jury of assaulting a suspect during an arrest in the past two weeks.
Their acquittal was today welcomed by the local Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers.
This is the shocking moment PC Richard Williams grabs a suspect and rains punches on his head
Saying both constables had been 'vindicated', its general secretary, Lewis Davies, said: 'Our officers make split second decisions every day, to protect both themselves and the wider public.'
However PC Williams could still face misconduct proceedings.
Giving evidence at his trial, PC Williams had told the jury that he had been an officer for 21 years.
He claimed that during the attempt to arrest Mr Clark in May 2023 his colleague 'went falling backwards quite heavily on to the grass' with the suspect on top of her.
'My concern was for Einir,' he said in evidence, saying he had dragged Mr Clark away.
'I was acting in her defence.'
PC Williams said the suspect 'seemed to be very strong and was pulling away from me'.
'I'm thinking he's under the influence of drugs,' he added.
Questioned by his barrister, Simon Kealey KC, PC Williams maintained he hadn't intentionally strangled Mr Clark.
'He's just assaulted my colleague,' he said.
PC Williams said he put Mr Clark in a headlock to 'control' him on the ground as he was resisting him.
'I'm in a state of shock at this time.
'He's assaulted my colleague.
'This is the first time someone has assaulted a female colleague of mine in my presence.'
PC Williams told jurors he made 'little, short punches' with his weaker arm as 'distraction strikes.'
The Taser-armed officer said he 'couldn't realistically use' his personal protective equipment which also included a baton and spray.
He said it appeared his colleague had a 'nasty' fall.
'I thought she was out of it.'
Giving evidence himself, Mr Clark told jurors: 'I wasn't being violent at all.'
Footage of the arrest was taken by a neighbour and posted online, sparking widespread shock.
In the clip, moments before the officer starts throwing punches, a man's voice can be heard shouting: 'Stop resisting!'
As the violence begins, the woman filming the arrest gasps in horror and cries out: 'Oh my God!'
She then throws open the window and shouts over to the officers.
The man – who is barefoot - can then be heard groaning incoherently amid more shouts of 'Stop resisting!' as the male officer tried to handcuff him while his female colleague tells the suspect to calm down.
Prosecuting counsel Richard Edwards previously told jurors that officers had been about to handcuff Mr Clark, who was suspected of common assault.
However he told them he had a bad wrist due to an accident, with the situation escalating into violence.
Tammy Humphreys, who lived opposite, began recording what was happening after hearing Mr Clark making 'daft' noises.
'Miss Humphreys opened the window and shouted across the street towards the officers "I'm sure you're not meant to punch him like that",' Mr Edwards said.
He said Mr Clark sustained 'swelling and bruising'.
The prosecutor told jurors: 'A police officer doesn't have free rein to do whatever they want to effect an arrest.
'The defendant says he was simply using reasonable force in the circumstances to arrest Steven Clark who, he says, was resisting.
'The Crown say the defendant's actions have gone beyond reasonable force and he's physically assaulted Steven Clark.'
After the video went viral, Gareth Davies, Conservative Senedd member for the Vale of Clwyd, branded it 'police brutality'.
In a tweet copying in North Wales Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman and then Home Secretary Suella Braverman he added: 'What are you doing? Surely we're better than this?'
Mr Davies added that he was 'not sure on the circumstances leading up to it'.
In response, Ms Blakeman wrote: 'I've seen the footage this morning and I take this very seriously.
'There is an investigation ongoing so we can understand the incident fully and we have referred the matter to the IOPC.'
At the time North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: 'The video that is circulating of the arrest of a male in Porthmadog is concerning.'
Meanwhile Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, signed an open letter demanding answers over concerns that the officer had used 'excessive force'.
The force referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) which later passed a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Following PC Williams' acquittal, IOPC director Derrick Campbell said: 'It was appropriate for the evidence from our investigation of force used against the man to be tested in court.'
North Wales Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison said: 'We acknowledge the decision of the court who found PC Williams not guilty of assault having seen all the available evidence in this case.
'Police officers have to deal with conflict on a daily basis which requires instant decision making to help keep the public safe.
'There has rightly been an independent investigation given the concerns raised about the level of force used, this was conducted by the IOPC and we will now liaise with the IOPC in relation any potential misconduct procedures.'
Just last week PC Ellis Thomas, 24, was found not guilty of grievous bodily harm after being accused of kneeing a teenager in the groin, causing him to lose half a testicle.
The incident happened when Harley Murphy - then 17 - was arrested for being drunk and disorderly outside a nightclub in Bangor, Gwynedd, in January 2023.
PC Thomas was cleared last month after telling Mold Crown Court that he took Mr Murphy to the floor by sweeping his legs from underneath him during his arrest, but did not knee him in the groin.
Today North Wales Police Federation general secretary Mr Davies told Mail Online he 'welcomed' the decisions of the two juries who had 'vindicated' his members.
'The results are a huge relief to the officers, their family and friends, and we are pleased to have been able to support both officers throughout the processes,' he said.
'Our officers make split second decisions every day, to protect both themselves and the wider public.
'We welcome working with the IOPC in order to bring both matters to a conclusion.'