West Midlands Police officer convicted of assaults

A police officer has been found guilty of assaulting two members of the public on consecutive days when he wrongly suspected each of a crime.

PC Declan Jones committed both offences while on duty for West Midlands Police in Birmingham last year.

Birmingham Magistrates' Court heard he attacked a man then kicked and punched a 15-year-old boy the following day.

Judge Shamim Qureshi described videos of the attacks as "disastrous for public relations".

PC Jones, 30, had denied three counts of common assault.

But the district judge found he acted unlawfully when he kneed and punched Michael Rose in Aston on 20 April 2020, having wrongly suspected him of stealing a phone and a bike.

On 21 April in Newtown, Jones attacked a teenager whom he wrongly suspected of drugs offences, using force which the judge said was totally unnecessary.

Neither victim had resisted arrest.

At a week-long trial in Coventry prior to Monday's judgment in Birmingham, prosecutors played CCTV footage of the assault on the 15-year-old which showed the force came after the teen adopted a "surrender pose".

Jones told the court it was his "honest belief" the teenager had made a downward movement with his hand and he feared for his safety.

Jones was also accused of assaulting a third person two days after his second attack.

While he punched the individual in the face in Handsworth on 23 April, Jones was cleared after the judge ruled the officer used "proportionate" force while assisting colleagues who were struggling to detain.

Jones's attacks occurred during the first Covid-19 lockdown and the judge said footage of the incidents in which officers were seen not wearing masks were "embarrassing to watch", adding: "The videos do not show the police in a good light at all."

He told the court: "Nothing turns on this point in this trial, but I have to make the comment that the videos, some of which were released on social media, are disastrous for public relations."

PC Jones was charged after an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct into allegations of excessive use of force.

Its investigation followed a voluntary referral from West Midlands Police on 30 April 2020.

PC Jones was bailed until sentencing on 10 September.