Police chief 'profoundly regrets' shock and upset over Manchester Airport arrest

The chief of Greater Manchester Police has said he "profoundly regrets" the shock and upset caused by footage of an officer kicking a man in the head during an arrest at Manchester Airport.

A video of the incident on Tuesday 23 July went viral after it was posted on social media on Wednesday. The footage appears to show a GMP officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying face down on the floor, with a woman kneeling beside him.

According to GMP, three of their officers had been assaulted, including a female officer who suffered a broken nose. Four men were arrested at the scene.

The footage led to protests outside Rochdale police station and in Manchester City centre, and now Chief Constable Stephen Watson has issued a statement appealing for calm.

The statement said: "It is a source of profound regret that this week’s incident at Manchester Airport has caused shock and upset in some of our communities.

"Throughout this week, senior officers have been meeting with community representatives to ensure their voices are heard and this will continue – we are at one with the best instincts of those engaged in appealing for calm.

"Whilst we are constrained in publicly releasing further information or footage about the incident due to the conduct and criminal investigations, we are committed to providing the fullest practical assistance to the Independent Office for Police Conduct."

On Friday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed the police constable shown in phone footage is under criminal investigation for assault.

In a statement it said: "The (IOPC) has advised a police constable he is being criminally investigated over the force used during an incident in which a number of men were arrested at Manchester Airport on Tuesday 23 July.

"We notified the officer today - Friday - that he is under criminal investigation for assault.

"We have also served the police constable with a disciplinary notice to inform him he is being investigated for potential gross misconduct for a number of alleged breaches of police professional standards including his use of force.

"The serving of notices does not necessarily mean criminal charges will follow.

"At the end of our investigation we will decide whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and decide whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings."

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