Mohamud Hassan: Sergeant used necessary force say disciplinary panel

Mohamud Hassan died hours after being released from police custody

A custody sergeant used necessary force on a man who died hours after being released, a disciplinary panel found.

Mohamud Hassan, 24, died on 9 January 2021, after being found unresponsive at a flat on Newport Road, Cardiff.

He had been arrested the evening before on suspicion of a breach of the peace in the city.

The panel, sitting in Bridgend, said the sergeant, referred to as Officer A, used "necessary, proportionate and reasonable force".

Officer A was on duty at Cardiff Bay Police Station when Mr Hassan arrived, and a misconduct panel was tasked with deciding if he used excessive force.

The hearing was previously told a detailed investigation by the Independent Office of Police Conduct "did not find that time spent in custody was a contributory factor in [Mr Hassan's] death".

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The panel previously heard how before Mr Hassan's arrest he had a cut to his face and spat from the window of his flat towards officers responding to reports of an assault.

He appeared to be intoxicated and was shouting that he was "having a fit" and that officers were "trying to kill him."

A spit hood was put over his head, but in the police van he was able to move his handcuffs from his back to his front and remove the hood, which was covered in blood and saliva.

Mr Hassan's death led to a series of demonstrations including a large scale protest outside Cardiff Bay Police Station.

Police bodycam footage showed Mr Hassan kicking the van, banging his head against the panels and shouting abuse at the two arresting officers.

Officer A told the hearing he was walking in front of Mr Hassan with two officers either side of him towards a cell at the station at the time of the alleged misuse of force.

He said he heard Mr Hassan preparing to spit and considered it "a violent act" so he told the hearing he held Mr Hassan's head down to stop him spitting at the two officers and himself.