Gloucestershire Police officer acquitted of assault after appealing conviction

A judge at Worcester Crown Court overturned PC Smith's conviction on 27 May. Credit: ITV West Country

A police officer has been acquitted of common assault by beating after he appealed his conviction.

PC Richard Smith, aged 50, was charged in connection with the amount of force used when detaining a man in Dursley on 22 November 2020.

PC Smith, from Stroud, denied the charge but he was found guilty at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on 4 October 2021.

He was then sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

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PC Smith appealed the conviction and a hearing took place at Worcester Crown Court on Friday 27 May.

The appeal was upheld and a judge overturned the conviction.

Following the hearing, Assistant Chief Constable Rhiannon Kirk said: “We acknowledge the decision made in court on Friday.

“The officer remains suspended as he is still subject to misconduct proceedings as these could not take place until the appeal process had concluded.

“We will take full account of the observations made in Friday’s hearing.”