PC 'left student in excruciating pain' at student fees protest

About 10,000 people marched through London as part of the student fees protest in 2010

A student was left in "excruciating pain" after he was hit on the head with a police baton during a student fees protest, a hearing was told.

Alfie Meadows, 29, said he saw an officer "thrashing around" with the weapon before he was struck during the protest on 9 December 2010.

Det Con Mark Alston is facing a misconduct hearing, where he denies using unreasonable force.

He was a police constable at the time of the Parliament Square protest.

Video footage played at the hearing is alleged to capture the moment Det Con Alston raised his weapon before striking Mr Meadows.

'Hit fence away'

Giving evidence, Mr Meadows, who is studying for a master's degree in philosophy, said protesters used fencing to push back against officers but denied he had been aggressive in any way.

He said the officer hit the fence away with his baton.

Mr Meadows said: "The baton swung from high to low. It was coming straight towards my head.

"I instinctively span around because I thought I was about to be hit by the baton and as soon as I spun around I was struck by the baton.

"I was struck on the top right of my head and it was incredibly hard and painful. I saw flashing lights and it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced."

He said he needed more than 100 staples in his head and was left with a large scar.

'Violent and uncontrolled'

He was charged with causing violent disorder and taken to court where he was cleared by a jury in 2013.

A probe by the police watchdog, now called the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), found Det Con Alston had a case to answer for gross misconduct, but City of London Police rejected the recommendation.

The force then failed in a court bid to challenge the IOPC's direction that he should face a full hearing.

A response to the allegations submitted on Det Con Alston's behalf said: "The officer accepts he wielded his baton, but denies that it was in a violent, uncontrolled and dangerous manner or was in any way disproportionate in light of the circumstances in which he was operating.

"The officer denies hitting Mr Meadows, or anyone, on the head with it."

The case continues.