PC Rowan Knight cleared of assaulting suspect in Cardiff

PC Rowan Knight was cleared during the hearing at Cardiff Magistrates' Court

A police officer has been cleared of assault after a judge ruled he acted in self-defence when he tried to arrest a suspect in Cardiff.

PC Rowan Knight, 30, pleaded not guilty to assaulting Christian Summers while on duty in Northern Avenue, Whitchurch.

Cardiff Magistrates' Court was told Mr Summers "clearly" gouged PC Knight's eye as he tried to arrest him for being drunk and disorderly in January.

The officer threw several punches but "hardly any" landed.

District Judge David Webster said: "Christian Summers had his hand over the face of the defendant and the footage clearly shows the middle finger was clearly some distance into the eye socket.

"I'm satisfied at that point the witness was gouging the eye."

Disciplinary proceedings

The judge said the 6ft 5in, 22-stone PC Knight, of Pencoed, Bridgend county, threw nine or 10 punches at Mr Summers "in an attempt for him to stop the attack, but hardly any of the blows landed".

"Had the defendant had the opportunity to punch unobstructed then, given his size, he would have caused significant injury to the witness," he added.

"By his own account he continued punching until he felt the witness go limp."

After the hearing, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said: "After careful consideration of the evidence, including body worn video footage of the incident and accounts from the man who was arrested and officers present, we passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service who authorised a charge of assault.

"At the conclusion of our investigation, we also formed the view that PC Knight has a disciplinary case to answer for gross misconduct, which South Wales Police agreed with.

"It will now be for the force to take forward disciplinary proceedings."