Racist attack inquiry officers punished

Marcus Walters and Francisco Borg were attacked

Five police officers from South Wales have been disciplined following a racist assault in Cardiff three years ago which resulted in the victims being arrested, along with their attackers.

The chief constable of South Wales Police has denied any officers were guilty of institutional racism

But Tony Burden has admitted that the subsequent investigation into the incident fell short of the standard expected.

The attack was caught on camera

The racist attack by a number of white youths on two black students in Cardiff's City Road in August 1997 was captured on closed circuit television cameras.

Marcus Walters and Francisco Borg had been set upon by the skinheads following a road rage incident off camera.

In the ensuing confusion they were also arrested by police officers who turned up at the scene.

Charges against the black students were later dropped and a white man was jailed for his part in the racist assault.

An investigation supervised by the Police Complaints Authority was then launched into the officers' conduct.

But the Chief Constable has denied that any of his officers were racially motivated in their actions.

He confirmed that two inspectors, a sergeant and two constables have been disciplined as a result of the PCA inquiry.

They refused to say whether any officer had been sacked or demoted as a result.