Complaint of use of excessive force - South Wales Police, November 2017

On 12 November 2017 South Wales Police officers arrested a woman in Cardiff city centre for failing to abide with a direction given to her earlier that day to leave the area. The woman was taken to the police station, where, on arrival, she refused to leave the van. Officers used force to remove her. When booked into custody, the woman was examined by the custody nurse, who advised that she needed to go to hospital as she may have fractured her wrist. The woman was bailed and officers took her to hospital. On the way there, the woman asked the officers to drop her off at another location. It was never established whether the woman sustained a wrist injury because she was not examined or treated.

During the investigation, our investigators interviewed the woman and obtained and reviewed her medical records. We also conducted interviews with the subject officers, and examined CCTV from the site of the arrest and in police custody. We assessed the subject officers’ actions in line with local and national policing policies and procedures.

We were of the view that there was insufficient evidence to indicate there had been any intent or recklessness on the part of the officers to cause injury to the woman. Having taken into account the available evidence, including the applicable legislation, policies and procedures that govern the use of force, it was our opinion that the officers had no case to answer for either gross misconduct or misconduct.