Jury clears Bradford police officer of assault charge (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Jury clears Bradford police officer of assault charge

7:00am Tuesday 19th February 2013 in News

A “hard-working, committed” police officer in Bradford has been cleared of assaulting a drink-driver by knocking him down with his patrol car.

PC Steven Mullaney, 41, was accused of causing actual bodily harm after using the Vauxhall Vectra to nudge Anthony Shaw three times as he tried to run from police in Wyke.

The jury at Sheffield Crown Court took less than one hour yesterday to find PC Mullaney not guilty of dangerous driving, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice.

The officer, who is based at Lawcroft House Police Station in Manningham, said he now wanted to put the case behind him and get on with his job.

PC Mullaney’s patrol car bumped into Mr Shaw three times as he tried to run away from the officer and his colleague after they stopped his vehicle in Bradford in the early hours of March 18 last year.

The police car was estimated to be travelling at between nine and 12mph at the time.

PC Mullaney, who has been an officer for 18 years, said he had done “no more than was necessary” to help arrest Mr Shaw and prevent him committing further offences.

After his arrest, Mr Shaw, 37, was found to be a disqualified driver who was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit and had no insurance. He was taken to hospital with a number of abrasions and injuries, including a sprained ankle.

PC Mullaney was cleared of all charges against him, including one of perverting the course of justice by placing a video recording from the police car into a tray reserved for tapes to be erased.

Speaking after the verdict, Ned Liddemore, of West Yorkshire Police Federation, said: “We are delighted at the result today. PC Mullaney’s life has been on hold for the past 12 months while this matter has been ongoing.

“Once again we’ve seen a frontline officer taken off our streets and placed on restricted duties for almost a year while this matter went through the judicial process.

“The men and women of the jury have delivered the only right and just verdict in this case, that of not guilty on all counts. PC Mullaney is an excellent and hard-working, committed and loyal servant to West Yorkshire Police and the public whom he serves.”

Mr Liddemore said PC Mullaney had used his “copper’s instinct” in stopping Mr Shaw to speak to him and had used “reasonable force” to slow him down until he was arrested.