Police officer charged with assault after ‘repeatedly hitting handcuffed teenager with baton’ in London
DC Kevin Rowley faces accusation over arrest of 17-year-old
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Update (14.11.19): A previous version of this article referred to the race of the two individuals involved in the story. We would like to make clear that there has been no suggestion that race is a relevant factor in this case. We apologise for the inclusion of this information in our article.
A police officer has been charged with assault over an incident in which a teenager was repeatedly struck with a baton.
DC Kevin Rowley, of the Metropolitan Police, was due to appear in court on Monday over the alleged attack in Gidea Park, northeast London.
He has been charged with common assault by beating following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Footage of the incident in April was shared on social media, appearing to show a teenager sitting on the pavement in handcuffs.
A police officer in plain clothes struck him with a baton several times as the teenager shouted: “I am a child … you can't do this.”
The Metropolitan Police said the incident followed the arrest of a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of possessing class B drugs.
DC Rowley is currently on restricted duties and a second officer remains subject to a misconduct investigation over the same incident.
Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said the association was supporting DC Rowley and that its lawyers would be “vigorously defending” his actions in court.
“What we can say is that in these testing times for Metropolitan Police officers, it is vital that there is not trial by social media,” he added. “Everyone has a right to a fair trial."