Dorset police officer filmed threatening man with 'ticket for something'

An innocent motorist said he was left feeling "shaken up" after a police officer threatened to smash his window and give him "a ticket for something".

The officer stopped the driver in Bournemouth as he suspected the colour of his car did not match DVLA records.

The motorist, who was arrested and de-arrested at the scene, told BBC News he believed the officer had "abused his powers".

Dorset Police said the officer would be "subject to management action".

The driver was handcuffed and led from his car

In the footage filmed on 30 October, the officer can be seen brandishing a baton while the man tries to forcefully explain from inside the car that he believed he had done nothing wrong.

The officer says "I'm going to smash your window" before the man responds that there is "no need for the baton".

After arguing about the car's colour, which the driver said had been partially changed apart from the roof, the officer can be heard saying "you're getting a ticket for something".

'Naughty child'

The policeman can then be seen arresting the man on suspicion of driving without a licence and insurance, before taking him to his police car for questioning.

The officer later informs the man he was "perfectly innocent" and "free to go on your merry way".

The man, who did not want to be named, told the BBC he felt the officer was "extremely aggressive" and treated him "like a naughty child".

He said: "I've always respected the police but this incident has definitely left me shaken up, and I no longer know who I can trust."

The man added that he planned to pursue a private prosecution against the officer.

Martyn Underhill, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Dorset, has offered to meet the motorist

Martyn Underhill, Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, said he used to renovate cars using spray paint "so can see how this argument happened". 

He said there were "always two sides to a story" and that police were reviewing the footage from the officer's body-worn camera. 

Mr Underhill, who offered to meet the motorist, added: "Some of the issues in that video do concern me but I must stress my role is not to intervene and hold police to account until their processes are finished."

In a statement, Dorset Police said it had not received a formal complaint from the motorist and had received both criticism and messages of support for the officer since the video was published.

It added: "...officers from our Professional Standards Department have reviewed the interaction in its entirety. This has included the video footage clip posted online and the officer's body-worn video of events leading up to the video footage.

"As a result, a determination has been made that the officer's actions will be subject to management action.

"Although there are always alternative views to a situation such as this, the force acknowledges that there are issues to be addressed with regards to the way this interaction was managed."