An Angus man’s face was left a “mess” after an alleged cells assault by a serving police officer, a court heard.
Sergeant David Black appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court charged with grabbing John Brand by the throat and striking his face with a knee within the cells of Arbroath Police Station.
The 49-year-old went on trial over two charges of assault on summary complaint against Mr Brand on October 10 2013.
The court heard that Mr Brand had been arrested and brought to the Gravesend station around 2am, and was restrained at the charge bar before being taken to his cell.
At 6am he was visited by two police officers in the cell – including Black – where the alleged grabbing assault occurred.
“I was sitting in the corner with my knees up to my chest,” he said.
“The male with the black hair has got me by the arm and the other is on me with his hand on my throat.
“I couldn’t do anything as the other boy had my arm restrained.”
After he was given caution and charge and the officers had left, Mr Brand said he gave Black “verbal abuse”.
“I recall saying something about his family, that you’re not just putting yourself at risk but your family.”
At 6.07am, Black returned to the cell on his own.
When asked by a depute fiscal to describe CCTV footage of the alleged assault, Mr Brand said: “That’s him just kneeing me in the face.
“(He’s) straight above me, covering me from the camera.
“I think I said ‘there’s a camera there, you idiot…’
“I don’t know why he stopped, I think it was because of the camera.
“My face was in a mess.”
Mr Brand appeared from custody, where he told the court he had been recalled on licence for assaulting prison staff at Perth.
He criticised the three-year delay in proceedings.
“The police system’s a complete joke,” he said.
“I made a complaint because at the end of the day, I was hoping to get him sacked.
“I was told to just leave it, so I said I’d speak to my solicitor.”
Black, whose address in court papers is given as c/o the Police Service of Scotland, denies the charges.
The trial, before Sheriff Pino Di Emidio, continues.
