PC receives community order for ‘brutal’ attack on woman

Warning: the below video contains footage some viewers may find disturbing.

PC James Kiddie, 45, was given a 150-hour community order for the incident of “loss of control” against 30-year-old Sarah Reed.

The police officer had been called to the Uniqlo store on London’s Regent Street in November 2012 after Ms Reed had been held by security guards.

PC Kiddie told the court at his trial last month that a “snarling” Ms Reed had bitten him on his finger and claimed that she had Aids.

District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe said that Ms Reed was “no shrinking violet” but said that “higher standards” were required of the police officer.

“I do accept, as I say, that this was an incident of loss of control. There is no pre-meditation,” she said.

Punches

In the video, PC Kiddie can be seen grabbing Ms Reed by her hair before hauling her to the ground. CCTV footage records the officer aiming three punches at the woman’s head while she is on the ground, before kneeling on her neck to restrain her.

Victoria Hatton, of Neumans LLP, solicitors for Ms Reed, said her client had been the victim of a “brutal” attack by a serving police officer.

A statement from the law firm said: “As seen in the video footage played to the court, Pc Kiddie threw Ms Reed to the floor, where a light bulb smashed and caused her to suffer a two centimetre laceration to her lower back, this was followed by three powerful strikes aimed at Ms Reed’s head.

“There was absolutely no justification for the officer’s use of force and the court agreed that PC Kiddie acted in ‘anger’ with actions being described by the judge as ‘instinctive’ and ‘immediate’ as there was no pause by him for re-assessment.”

Kiddie, who had no previous convictions but two previous disciplinary findings of “incivility” on his police record, told the court his strikes against Ms Reed were “half power” and he had not wanted to hit her.

‘Aggressive’

Judge Roscoe said the CCTV and evidence from witnesses suggested that Ms Reed – described in court as a drug addict who was later convicted of shoplifting – was a “difficult” and “aggressive” woman who had become more aggressive when the police officer arrived.

PC Kiddie’s defence counsel, Ben Brandon, said that the officer would be dismissed from the Metropolitan police as a result of the court’s finding.

Scotland Yard said fellow officers who had viewed the CCTV footage had been concerned by the level of force used by Kiddie during the arrest and had reported the incident to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS).

‘Sickened’

Simon Byrne, the Met’s territorial policing assistant commissioner, said: “Police officers join the Met to protect and serve the public. Today his colleagues will be sickened by what they see.

“Where an officer’s behaviour falls short of the very high standards that we and the public expect of them, then it is only right that they are held to account for their actions.

“The actions of one officer abusing his position in this way can cast a shadow over the thousands of officers who are on duty right now demonstrating bravery, compassion, integrity and professionalism.

“PC Kiddie’s behaviour that day, which was identified and reported by another officer, was wrong. For that he has been held accountable. There is no place in the Metropolitan Police Service for officers and staff who do not uphold our values.”

Kiddie was also ordered to pay £500 in prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge.