Police investigate 'brutal' arrest caught on CCTV

CCTV footage shows a man in dark clothing, his right fist raised, crouching over a man in a blue jacket, face down on the ground. There is a wooden barrier to the right and a police car driving past on the road behind — CCTV footage taken by a friend of Samuel appears to show a man on the ground being punched by a man in an alleyway (Submitted)

Police said they were examining CCTV footage after an arrested student claimed he was repeatedly assaulted by a police officer.

Northamptonshire Police said the man was questioned over drug supply offences but was released without charge.

The student told the BBC he had stopped to give change to a homeless man when a man in a hoodie, who he later realised was a police officer, ran towards him.

The incident was filmed by a friend and appears to show him being punched repeatedly while on the ground.

He filed a formal complaint and said the officer should be disciplined.

As first reported by The Shade Borough, the 22-year-old student, known as Samuel, said he was walking along Barrack Road in Northampton on August 8 when he stopped to give change to a homeless man he had met earlier.

He said: “As I was walking away, I felt something walking towards me. It was a white male wearing a black hoodie.

“I admit, I ran, but I stopped because I realized it was a policeman and I apologized.

“So I thought I was going to get arrested or something, but I got hit and hit and hit, and I thought, ‘This is unbelievable.'”

He said he was “thrown against a wooden door” before losing his balance and falling to the ground, where he was allegedly beaten.

Samuel with short black hair wearing earrings and wearing a dark top — Samuel said he could not believe he had been subjected to “such brutality” (Samuel)

Northamptonshire Police said they were aware of the CCTV footage and were speaking to Samuel to discuss his concerns.

Police added that the incident was being reviewed internally, including an assessment of officers’ body-worn cameras.

They said the stop was made after a person was seen exchanging a package, which was suspected to be linked to potential drug supply offences.

A spokesperson added: “When officers approached to conduct a search, the man fled, leading to a short chase before he was apprehended.

“Following a negative search, the man was released without further action.”

Five police officers bend over a man wearing a blue jacket who is face down on the ground. There is a wooden fence and hedge to the right and a police car is parked on the road behind — Samuel said he was arrested on the spot and taken to the police station (Submitted)

Samuel wants to go further and would like the officer to “face some form of disciplinary sanction.”

He said: “I hired a lawyer, Miriam Altaf, she is working very hard to bring me some kind of justice.

“We have lodged a complaint against Northamptonshire Police and have also contacted the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct).

“I obeyed the officer’s orders, I committed no crime.”

“I couldn’t believe I was being subjected to such brutality by a police officer,” Samuel added.

“I wondered if I would have been treated the way I was treated if I had not been from an ethnic minority.”

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Police investigate ‘brutal’ arrest caught on CCTV

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