North Wales Police PC observed punching guy in video cleared of attack

A North Wales Police officer filmed punching a person time and again all over an arrest has been cleared of attack.

A jury discovered PC Richard Williams, 43, now not accountable of attack inflicting exact physically hurt and a 2d fee of intentional strangulation following a seven-day trial in Caernarfon.

The officer confronted the allegations following an incident in May 2023 when he used to be known as to a record of a home incident in Porthmadog, Gwynedd.

Mr Williams insisted the pressure used used to be important, telling the court docket how the suspect had resisted arrest and had already knocked a feminine colleague to the bottom.

Mr Williams mentioned he didn’t wish to harm Steven Clark, who used to be 34 on the time.

He informed a jury all over his defence that the 9 punches to Mr Clark’s head have been “distraction blows” once they have been each mendacity at the floor and he may now not achieve his taser or baton.

He informed the court docket: “I had my hands around him, which naturally led to a headlock, but he continued to resist – he was pulling away from me.

“I used to be involved for my protection and my colleague’s protection.”

The whole incident was captured on a mobile phone by a neighbour overlooking the garden on the Pensyflog estate in Porthmadog. The clip then went viral on social media.

It led to an investigation by the police watchdog body, the Independent Office for Police Conduct and a decision to charge the officer.

Mr Williams used to be suspended by way of the pressure pending the end result of the trial.