A policeman was repeatedly punched trying to arrest a suspect when her handcuffs failed after being tampered with in a suspected ‘parade ground prank’.
The potentially catastrophic act has been called ‘intolerable’ by angry force chiefs, who are determined to root out the culprit.
A conviction for breaching the health or safety laws could result in a sentence of as much as two years imprisonment.
A Greater Manchester police officer was repeatedly punched trying to arrest a suspect when her handcuffs failed after being tampered with in a suspected ‘parade ground prank’
This disturbing case is part of misconduct cases against police officers for sharing offensive messages about the killings of Sarah Everard, Bibaa and Nicole Henry.
The incident took place last month as the officer with Greater Manchester Police – in special measures after being branded a failing force – was on patrol in Salford.
According to a leaked internal message, she was ‘repeatedly punched’ while trying to arrest a suspect.
‘This assault would not have occurred had the officer’s handcuffs operated correctly,’ the memo goes on.
‘The officer was unable to apply the handcuffs as they had been intentionally tampered with by way of double locking.’
The handcuffs may have been closed. They had to be open before they could be used.
The memo adds the sabotaging of the cuffs ‘is strongly suspected to have been a “parade ground prank” by an unidentified colleague.’
But, alarmingly, it says this was ‘not an isolated incident’ in the district.
A police watchdog has begun investigating 15 former officers as well as the conduct of one officer in relation to the Sarah Everard (pictured). This disturbing case demonstrates the repercussions of officers sharing offensive messages in relation to Sarah Everard’s murders, as well misconduct cases against those officers.
The message, believed to be from a Police Federation official, went on: ‘I’m sure you will all be as shocked as I was to hear any police officer could ever think it’s funny to tamper with a colleague’s defensive equipment.
‘It’s issued to us for the sole purpose of keeping us safe.’
According to the memo, senior officers had not wanted any mention on the internal police system ‘for fear of it leaking and creating reputational damage’.
In a statement, the force said: ‘It is believed the cuffs had been tampered with and a senior officer spoke firmly and robustly to frontline officers to make clear such behaviour is completely intolerable.
‘The injured officer returned to work and is continuing to be supported by her supervisors.’
Officers were being warned ‘of the serious consequences of such behaviour’, it added.
It is believed that the suspect was later sentenced to prison for assault.
This incident highlights the challenges facing Chief Constable Stephen Watson. Watson took control of the force in the wake of watchdogs finding that it had not properly recorded 80,000 crimes.