Husband died 'after Pc assault'

A 48-year-old man from Essex collapsed and died after a police officer barged into his home and assaulted him and his wife, a court has heard.

Ronnie O'Reilly fell to the ground and died after Pc Gary Jay, 41, accused him of breaching the peace, Southend Magistrates' Court was told.

Pc Jay had gone to the terraced house in Clacton to investigate shouting in June last year.

He is charged with two counts of assault, which he denies.

Mr O'Reilly's wife Moira told the court she was pushed three times by Pc Jay, who forced his way past her after she opened the front door.

Pc Jay then pushed her husband and he fell to the ground but Pc Jay just looked on with his "arms folded", she said.

"He [Pc Jay] just stood there watching me. I was trying to get my thumb into [my husband's] mouth but I wasn't strong enough to do it.

"I looked up and there was a police officer standing there with his arms folded."

She also told the court that post-mortem tests revealed her husband was suffering from heart disease.

The trial continues.