Wednesday, September 8, 2010

UK cop caught assaulting woman on CCTV, jailed

A British judge on Tuesday sentenced a policeman who assaulted a 57-year-old woman by hurling her into a cell to six months in prison.

A British judge on Tuesday sentenced a policeman who assaulted a 57-year-old woman by hurling her into a cell to six months in prison. Sergeant Mark Andrews was caught on security cameras in 2008 dragging Pamela Somerville across the floor and shoving her into a cell at a police station in Melksham, western England.  Afterwards, blood poured from a wound on her head.

Somerville was arrested after being found asleep in her car and refusing a breath test. Andrews was convicted earlier of assault.  At Oxford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, Deputy District Judge Peter Greenfield said Andrews was guilty of a presiding over "an atmosphere of bullying and intimidation."  The Wiltshire Police force has apologised to Somerville. Assistant Chief Constable Patrick Geenty from the Wiltshire police called Andrews "a disgrace."  Somerville told British broadcaster Sky of her ordeal. "When I was left there on my own, I thought 'my goodness, they are going to leave me to die," she said on Tuesday outside her home in Wiltshire. "I thought they must have mistaken me for somebody who had done a terrible crime," she added.

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