Police officer accused of strangling girl in arrest
Jurors heard the girl was resisting arrest at the time of the incident
- Published
A Nottinghamshire police officer has gone on trial, accused of intentionally strangling a teenage girl while she was being detained.
PC Kevin Markowski, 46, of Nottinghamshire Police, denies a single charge of intentional strangulation.
Jurors at Lincoln Crown Court heard on Monday the allegation centres on an incident in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, on 24 August 2022.
Rosemary Kavanagh, prosecuting, said PC Markowski and another officer were driving along Front Street and saw the girl arguing with other young people.
Miss Kavanagh said PC Markowski got out of the driver's door and approached the complainant.
Jurors heard the teenager was "clearly resisting" as she was moved towards the officers' police vehicle.
"They (the two officers) are having some difficulty getting her into the police car," Miss Kavanagh said.
The complainant suffered an injury to her face as she was placed into the back of the police vehicle and was told that she was being arrested for public disorder.
"It is while she is in the back of the police car, the Crown say, she was strangled by Kevin Markowski," Miss Kavanagh said.
Part of "the incident was caught on a body-worn camera belonging to PC Markowski's colleague, jurors heard.
Miss Kavanagh said: "She (the complainant) can be heard to splutter on the footage that she can't breathe."
PC Markowski explained that he took hold of the teenager because she was shouting and making threats in the street, jurors were told.
Miss Kavanagh said the officer accepted the teenager's face may have glanced off the roof or side of the car as she was put inside.
The court heard PC Markowski said he had no choice but to put his hand at the top of her chest to stop her attacking him.
The officer insisted this was nowhere near her windpipe and said any force he used was "proportionate" in the circumstances of the arrest.
The trial continues.
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