Swansea: PC Jack Williams jailed for punching autistic man

Tariq Evans, who is autistic, was punched seven times in the back of a police van

A policeman who punched an autistic man in the head seven times during an arrest has been jailed for 12 weeks.

Video evidence of the attack by PC Jack Williams, 27, in the back of a police van in Swansea in October 2022 was seen by Newport Magistrates Court.

Tariq Evans, now 23, lost his job, has memory loss, nightmares, headaches, is unwilling to leave home, and was never charged, the court heard.

Williams was found guilty of assault by beating at a trial in August.

District Judge Sophie Toms said: "You took your opportunity to take your rage out on [Mr Evans]. Your behaviour was quite frankly, shocking."

Footage of the assault shown to the court came from another officer's body camera.

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Mr Evans, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, was being chased by several South Wales Police officers on suspicion of criminal damage, the court was told.

He was brought to the ground on Woodville Street in the Morriston area of the city, arrested and put into the back of a police van.

Jack Williams was caught on body camera punching a suspect

He was arrested before being thrown into the back of a police van in a way the judge described as "forcibly and unnecessarily", with Mr Evans being "completely restrained" with leg ties, handcuffs and a spit hood.

The court was told he could be heard shouting in pain.

After calling Mr Evans abusive names, Williams climbed into the rear of the van and shouted "stop biting me," before punching Mr Evans repeatedly in the head.

'Vulnerable position'

Seven blows to the head were caught in the police footage, but there was no evidence of any attempt to bite Williams.

The judge said Mr Evans "was in the most vulnerable position, he did not move, he did not deflect any punches" she added " he was in a small metal cage unable to move or deflect the blows".

She described the assault as "persistent " and an "abuse of power by someone in a position of trust" who had "shown no remorse".

Tariq Evans's mother Sarah-Lee says "justice has been served" by the jailing of Williams

Speaking outside the court after the sentencing, Mr Evans's mother Sarah-Lee Evans, 52, said "justice has been served".

The family learnt of what was happening through seeing a video on Facebook.

Mrs Evans said: "As soon as we heard his voice, I knew immediately that was my son. There were around six or seven coppers on top of him, but I could hear his voice and he was basically shouting out and calling for me and saying he hadn't done anything wrong."

Tariq Evans lost his job and has struggled with his mental health since the attack, the court heard

When she went to meet him at the police station "he was so disfigured, two big black eyes, red eyes, his face all out".

She said she got a lump in her throat watching the video evidence.

"Seven times," she said, "that's taking the law into your own hands."

The court heard that it was not possible to say which injuries had been caused by Williams and whether or not other injuries were caused during the remainder of the arrest process.