A Greater Manchester Police officer has been found not guilty of assault following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
On 18th November 2021, Greater Manchester Police received a 999 call from a distressed female who told officers that her ex-partner would not leave the address.
When PC Cleasby arrived on the scene, he tried to make contact with the informant inside the address from where the call for help had been made.
Footage from the officer’s body-worn cameras was played to the court.
In the footage, PC Cleasby had managed to prevent a male at the address from shutting the front door by putting his foot between the door and the doorframe.
The male inside the address told the officer that he was not going to let him inside the address.
Concerned for the female who had called the police, the officer forced the front door open.
At the time, the male suspect was holding a two-year-old girl who was hit by the door as it swung open.
The officer claimed he did not know the suspect was holding the young girl, and he added that neither of the parents showed any concern for the child and ‘things escalated very quickly.’
The IOPC would go on to submit a file to the CPS that accused the officer of assaulting the two-year-old girl who he had not seen behind the door.
The CPS agreed with the IOPC, and the officer was charged with assaulting the toddler.
Once inside the address, the male, who had not been cooperating with the police, came towards the officer. The court heard that the male was angry after the door hit the toddler.
PC Cleasby maintained that he was unaware that the girl had been hit; the hallway was poorly lit, and the incident happened at around 22:30 hours.
Fearing he was going to be assaulted by the male suspect who came towards him, the officer gave a pre-emptive strike and punched the male. PC Cleasby punched the male again twice.
Following the IOPC investigation, the CPS brought charges against the officer for assaulting the male suspect who had refused to leave the address.
After the incident, a complaint was made to Greater Manchester Police, who referred the complaint to the IOPC.
Following a three-day trial at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, the officer was found not guilty of assaulting the toddler and not guilty of assaulting the male suspect who was at the address.
Despite being found not guilty, the officer now faces a potential gross misconduct hearing for breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour in respect of authority, respect and courtesy, orders and instructions, use of force, honestly and integrity and equality and diversity.
IOPC Director of Major Investigations Steve Noonan said:
“It was important for the matters to be independently and thoroughly investigated, and it was right it was heard in open court, which provides the transparency that is vital for public confidence in policing and in the complaints system.
“Once our investigation has concluded, where necessary we present our findings to the Crown Prosecution Service who then decide whether to authorise a charge or not.”
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Well pat yourselves on the back iopc
You now expect our responders to see through fucking door, and that they must he assaulted before doing anything.
I’m glad that eventually someone saw sense, and found then not guilty.
You wonder why police are leaving in their droves when the fuckers behind iopc spend their time trying to fuck over every officer on active duty.
It’s about time the iopc was replaced by people who do t actually hate police and have some agenda to persecute any bobby they can n try to destroy their careers and lives.
Bless them jurors who had common sense, and could see exactly what happened, and that the cop was not guilty as charged.
How about actually supporting police when it’s right to
It is not the job of iopc, to discriminate against the police.
You are there to be impartial. That means actually listening to both sides, viewing the evidence, and acting accordingly, not just blame every copper you can.
Every time you do this, another cop is on leave, their families are worried sick, and some scroat is smiling.
Did the man who was asked to leave face any charges, or did you (as usual) drop it in favour of them witnessing against the cop.
No wonder the scroats complain about every minor thing… You support them.
Yet again the not fit for purpose IOPC are yet again out for their pound of flesh from this officer, Who by all accounts acted fairly and proportionately given what he was faced with whilst at a DV call. It is about time the IOPC was scrapped and a new unit made to deal with police conduct just imagine if the officer let the door close and the male injured the family he would be crucified. I just hope that the senior management team leading the gross misconduct hearing apply sense like the jury did NOT GUILTY
Regardless of the inefficacy of the IOPC, there remains a core tenet of British justice, namely innocent until proven guilty. Guilt was not proven, therefore the officer remains innocent. The matter has been investigated and prosecuted.
After due process, the defendent was not culpable. End of. Except he is not a career criminal.
Were that the case, has anybody raised questions, the civil rights mob would be up in arms. Instead, he is a copper and therefore fair game. Or put another way, keep prosecuting until the ‘right’ result is delivered.
Due process has been followed and the officer is innocent, which he always was under common law.
Disgraceful, the police are dammed if they do and damned if they don’t.
About time they were appreciated for they face in our messed up society every day.
In America, body worn camera footage is immediately made available. If this had happened in this case the outrage over this officer’s treatment would have been immediate and widespread. Instead he’s strung out for months.