PC who punched drunk man because he was gouging his eye is sacked
PC weighing 22 stone who punched semi-naked drunk man 10 times because he was gouging his eye is sacked and banned from the force
- The 6ft 5in officer was found to have used ‘unreasonable force’ by a watchdog
A hulking 22-stone PC who punched a semi-naked man ten times during an arrest has been banned from the police – even though he was cleared in court of assault.
Towering 6ft 5in PC Rowan Knight, 31, walked free over the alleged assault but was investigated by police watchdogs for using ‘unreasonable force.’
Rugby player Knight was accused of attacking drunk Christian Summers, 29, who had started gouging the ex-officer’s eyes.
A court heard Knight threw up to 10 punches then joked: ‘That’s another hand broken.’
Knight claimed he acted in self-defence during the incident but watchdogs said he continued punching Mr Summers ‘when he posed no genuine risk to him or his colleagues.’
PC Rowan Knight, 31, has been banned from the police for punching a semi-naked man ten times during an arrest
A disciplinary panel found Knight guilty of gross misconduct and ruled he should be barred from working in the police.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said: ‘We examined allegations including whether there were legitimate grounds for arrest, and whether the force used in punching the man several times to the face while holding him in a headlock and kneeing him in the ribs was proportionate in the circumstances.’
They added: ‘It was also alleged that PC Knight escalated the situation unnecessarily by his use of force, and that he later provided a statement that described a different version of events to those captured on police footage.’
Watchdogs carried out a four month probe following the conclusion of the court case and found Knight had a case to answer.
IOPC Director David Ford said: ‘Police officers should only use the minimum amount of force required in any given situation they face.
‘In our view the physical force applied by PC Knight was not necessary, reasonable or proportionate in the circumstances.
‘The body worn video of the other officers present did not support the officer’s account that all his actions were in self-defence, and therefore the explanation he gave was dishonest.
‘The evidence indicated that PC Knight continued to use force at a time when the man posed no genuine risk to him or his colleagues.
‘A gross misconduct hearing has now determined that PC Knight should be dismissed.’
The 6ft 5in officer, who weighs 22-stone, was cleared of assault at Cardiff Magistrates Court in October 2021
An investigation began after a fellow officer raised concerns over Knight’s actions during the arrest and an internal probe was launched by South Wales Police’s professional standards division.
A file was then handed to the Crown Prosecution Service who charged PC Knight with assault by beating.
PC Knight had been called to assist after Mr Summers was mysteriously found ‘heavily intoxicated’ and wearing just his underwear by a railway station in the early hours of the morning.
PC Knight was accused of carrying out a sustained attack on Mr Summers by first grabbing his throat, and then throwing 10 punches towards him before bundling him a police car and allegedly putting his weight upon him.
But he was found not guilty at Cardiff Magistrates Court in October 2021 after saying he lashed out in self-defence after Mr Summers gouged at his eye.
Prosecutor Robert Reid said Knight had used ‘unreasonable and unnecessary force that went far beyond self-defence.’
Mr Reid said: ‘Out of frustration with dealing with him, the defendant PC Knight lost his patience and then lost his temper.’
But District Judge David Webster said prosecutors failed to prove PC Knight was not acting in self-defence.
He was found not guilty at Cardiff Magistrates Court in October 2021 after saying he lashed out in self-defence after Mr Summers gouged at his eye
Judge Webster said the footage showed Mr Summers was ‘clearly’ gouging the eye of PC Rowan Knight as he tried to arrest him for being drunk and disorderly.
Judge Webster said: ‘Christian Summers had his hand over the face of the defendant and the footage clearly shows the middle finger was clearly some distance into the eye socket.
‘I’m satisfied at that point the witness was gouging the eye.’
Judge Webster said PC Knight threw ‘nine or 10 punches at Mr Summers in an attempt for him to stop the attack but hardly any of the blows landed.’
Judge Webster said: ‘Had the defendant had the opportunity to punch unobstructed then given his size he would have caused significant injury to the witness.
‘By his own account he continued punching until he felt the witness go limp..’
PC Knight, of Pencoed, South Wales, was cleared assault by beating following a two day trial last year.
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