Sussex Police officers convicted of assaulting teenage girl

Judge who saw video footage of the assault calls officers’ actions ‘shocking’

One officer sprayed the girl with PAVA spray while the other kneed her in the head, court hears (Getty Images)

Two Sussex Police officers have been convicted of assaulting a 14-year-old girl while she was detained in handcuffs in the back of a police car in May 2020.

Following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), PC Deborah Sands, 46, and PC Kris Green, 35, were found guilty of assault after they used excessive force on the girl who was detained during an incident in East Sussex during the first lockdown.

At Folkestone Magistrates Court on Monday, a judge heard that Ms Sands sprayed the girl with PAVA spray, an incapacitant spray similar to pepper spray, while she was in handcuffs in the back of a police vehicle with her seatbelt secured.

Ms Green issued a knee strike to her head, applied a spit guard and kicked the girl in the leg multiple times.

Both officers, who were suspended ahead of the investigation, had denied the charges but body worn video (BWV) footage showed that they had used excessive force and engaged in verbal altercations with the girl. It is also alleged that one of the officers showed the BWV footage to colleagues for non-policing purposes and made inappropriate comments about it.

District Judge Justin Barron called the video footage “shocking”.

He said: “I am sure that the degree of force was wholly disproportionate to the circumstances they (the officers) found themselves in.”

Sentencing was adjourned until 26 January and further disciplinary proceedings will be up for Sussex Police to decide.

Detective Superintendent Rachel Carr, Head of the Professional Standards Department, said: “While police need to use force at times during the course of their work, this is highly regulated, and excessive use of force is unacceptable and any incidents will be fully investigated.

“As soon as we became aware of this case we made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and the officers were placed on restricted duties while they were under investigation.

“We then suspended them after an IOPC investigation led to them being charged with the offence.

“We will be resuming disciplinary action against the officers now that the criminal investigation has concluded.”

IOPC Regional Director Graham Beesley, said: “While there are occasions when the use of force is required, police officers are entrusted with the power to do so only if it is necessary, reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.

"Our investigation raised serious concerns about the actions of both officers and the Crown Prosecution Service made the decision to bring charges after we referred a file to them.

“The court has clearly taken the view that both officers, whose role involves ensuring the welfare of detainees, went beyond what was necessary to ensure control of the girl in a custody environment.”