Wednesday 6 April 2011

Inquest Day 4: 31st March 2011: Summary points

Witnesses, either giving evidence in person or via their statements being read out, included:

• PC Andrew Hayes, a vehicle driver for the Territorial Support Group (TSG), who witnessed PC Harwood attempt to arrest a protester writing on a police vehicle carrier by dragging him along a street. He said if he had been making the arrest, he could have put the protester in the vehicle carrier. He acknowledged that PC Harwood’s actions forced the crowd of people in the vicinity up the road with a police cordon behind.

• PC Alexander Jackaman, a vehicle driver for the TSG.

• Christopher La Jaunie, the US business man whose video footage of Ian being pushed by PC Harwood was the first in the public domain. He described Ian as not engaged with the protest and determined to get somewhere by negotiating with the police to get through. He said Ian was not confrontational at all and was “violently shoved”. He thought Ian had been made an example of and thought the force used was “excessive”.

• Anthony Fallshaw, a cameraman who was pulled to the ground by PC Harwood, shortly before Harwood’s contact with Ian. He felt himself “pulled and spun backwards to the ground”. He did not believe he had been impeding any officers from carrying out their duty.

• Chief Superintendent Alexander Robertson, Head of Specialist Support Directorate, which has responsibility for a number of areas including use of police dogs. He described how the ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) guide ‘Keeping the Peace’ is the backbone and reference tool to all police.

• Alan Edwards, who helped Ian up after PC Harwood pushed him. He spoke of his shock at seeing Ian going through the air when pushed and how the only time he had seen something similar was during a car accident. He described how after the incident "the police didn't do a thing" for Ian.

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