Police officer guilty of assault

PC Keith Empsall was caught on film

A police constable has been found guilty of common assault.

Keith Empsall, who was filmed kicking and punching a man in a street in Wakefield, was convicted at Leeds magistrates' court.

The 42-year-old officer, who serves with West Yorkshire police, denied using excessive force when arresting Christopher Wilson outside his home in Wakefield in June 2001.

The incident was captured on video by an amateur film maker Mark Goodwin.

I wanted to go home at the end of the shift to my wife and children without being injured

PC Keith Empsall

The officer - who is in his 24th year of service with West Yorkshire police - assaulted Mr Wilson after he and another officer were called to a disturbance in Clarendon Street.

Leeds magistrates' court heard how Empsall became annoyed with Mr Wilson, after he prevented him from entering his bedsit, and lashed out in frustration.

District Judge Christopher Darnton found him guilty after a three-day trial and warned he could face a custodial sentence.

He said: "I have concluded that I do not believe the force used was reasonable."

'Angry drunk'

Mr Goodwin, who is a video enthusiast, told the court he had been recording life in the street.

He said he picked up the camera to film the incident after his girlfriend told him there was a disturbance outside.

PC Empsall claimed he felt threatened

The court heard how Empsall and a colleague were called to reports that a car had been smashed up by a man with a baseball bat.

As other officers went inside to search the house, Empsall told the court he was confronted by an "angry, young drunk".

He said in court that he was afraid of Mr Wilson because of his stance and the way he looked at him.

He said his main concern for the night was to end the shift uninjured and he said he had to "go in there and take control of the arrest".

Possible appeal

He said: "I didn't know him (Mr Wilson) from Adam.

"I wanted to effect the arrest as best I could, I wanted to go home at the end of the shift to my wife and children without being injured."

However, in deciding that the force used was unreasonable, the judge said: "There was definitely a kick-out, followed by three distinct blows to the face of a man moving backwards.

"[He was] clearly not demonstrating any signs of fighting back, being handled in an unnecessarily robust way, first by being pushed on to the bonnet of the first vehicle, handcuffed and put into a second vehicle."

Empsall was granted bail and the case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports until 17 October.

Norman Cooper, from the Police Federation of West Yorkshire, said Empsall was taking legal advice and may consider an appeal.