Police Officer Armed with a Taser Stamped on Man’s Head in Manchester Airport Arrest

Video footage of a police officer stamping on a man’s head in Manchester Airport has been widely circulated across social media following the incident on Tuesday 23^rd July at 8:25pm. In the video, the armed police officer can be seen detaining the man, kicking him and eventually stamping on his head multiple times.

A recent report by the IOPC found that 29% of people are exposed to police using unnecessary force over social media, ranking second only to news coverage. Young people are the most likely to see instances of police force on social media, and they are also the age group most likely to disagree with the way the police use force. This underscores the significant role of social media in critically evaluating police behaviour.

Even when making an arrest, excessive force is unacceptable and unlawful, a fact that the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have had to acknowledge. The GMP has since stripped the offending officer of his operational duties and has self-referred to the IOPC. The officer is facing criminal investigation and has been served a disciplinary notice to inform him he is being investigated for potential gross misconduct for breaches of police professional standards. Still, it is understood that the officer has not been suspended. This incident illustrates the growing concern about police behaviour and abuse of power.

In this article, we will go through the details of the case, the law surrounding excessive force and assault from the police, and what you can do if you have experienced this.

The Incident

On Tuesday evening, the police were initially called to respond to multiple reports of an assault in Terminal 2 of Manchester Airport. When the police arrived, the man resisted arrest, with an eyewitness stating that he heard the police shout, “You’re under arrest; you’re wanted.”

The footage shows a chaotic arrest where the police used excessive force, deploying two tasers and simultaneously stamping on a man’s head.

The escalation of events also left three police officers assaulted. The affray resulted in one policewoman with a broken nose and two others being forced to the ground and suffering injuries that required hospital treatment. 

After the affray, the Greater Manchester Police attempted to justify the officer’s behaviour, saying that “as the attending officers were firearms officers, there was a clear risk during this assault of their firearms being taken from them.”

Four men have been arrested in connection with the incident. Two of them are suspected of assault, assault of emergency worker, affray, and obstructing police, while the other two are suspected of affray and assault of an emergency worker.

While this is an extreme case, the violence displayed by both parties is unacceptable, and it is the duty of the police to try their best to diffuse these situations by using the appropriate amount of force.

The Aftermath

While the Greater Manchester Police “acknowledged the concerns of conduct within the video”, the police officer responsible for the kicking has not been suspended. The GMP has taken steps to rectify the situation and made a voluntary self-referral to the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) – the police complaints watchdog that investigates standards of police conduct.

An IOPC spokesperson stated that they will “assess [the evidence] once received and decide what further action is required.”

Both Home Officer Minister Dame Diana Johnson and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham expressed their concerns with the footage and police response, sentiments that are also shared by the public.

On Wednesday evening, protesters gathered outside Rochdale police station, demonstrating against the police’s actions. The protest was peaceful and without incident. The chief officer, ACC Chaudhry, stated: “We understand the immense feeling of concern and worry that people feel about our response and fully respect their right to demonstrate their views peacefully.”

The law surrounding assault or excessive force

No matter the reason for arrest, the police must maintain a level of reasonable force and follow the law when detaining and arresting. Section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 applies to everyone, law-enforcing bodies included, so when a police officer uses excessive or unnecessary force—force that is not reasonable or proportionate—this can be considered an assault.

An assault is when an action causes a person fear for their safety, and physical contact is not needed for an action to be considered an assault.

If an officer uses any equipment, such as tasers, tear gas, batons, or firearms during an arrest or restraint, the use of force will be evaluated to determine if it was excessive.

‘PACE’ (The Police and Criminal Evidence Act) governs police behaviour while protecting individual rights protected under the Human Rights Act 1998.

The act protects a person’s:

• Right to be treated humanely under Article 3.
• Right to personal liberty under Article 5 (personal liberty only applies to cases of wrongful arrest)

HNK Solicitors can help you with your action against the police claim

If you believe you have been subjected to excessive force or even if you are unsure whether the force used was necessary, HNK Solicitors can help assess your claim. As demonstrated in this case, when police use force that goes beyond what is needed to apprehend an individual, they must be held responsible and can even be charged.

By seeking a solicitor, we can help you make a civil claim against the police force and gather evidence to support your case.

We specialise in civil actions against the police and operate on a no-win, no-fee basis, which means you don’t have to pay anything upfront until you receive your compensation. We provide a free consultation with no obligations, during which we can assess the viability of your claim.

To start your claim, you can get in touch with us via our online contact form, email us at enquiries@hnksolicitors.com, or call us on 0151 668 0809.