Shocking moment police officer attacks drunk pub goer after he teased him for being BALD – as PC is convicted of assault and sacked from force
- PC Jonathan Reynolds has been relieved of his duties after rough handling
- Footage showed him using excessive force outside Castle Vaults pub, Newtown
- Jamie Cruse, 27, was intoxicated and goading the officer about his ‘bald head’
- Chief Constable Collins said PC Reynolds’ actions would have shocked public
This is the shocking moment a rogue policeman used ‘excessive force’ in apprehending a drunk pub goer who taunted him for being bald.
PC Jonathan Reynolds has now been sacked for attacking a ‘cheeky f***er’ pub-goer – after seeing red due to his teasing comments.
PC Reynolds, 35, was caught on bodycam over his use of ‘excessive’ force in the arrest.
He was seen spraying Jamie Cruse in the eyes at close range while he was handcuffed.
Mr Cruse, 27, had been arrested outside the Castle Vaults pub in Newtown, Powys, Mid Wales, for being drunk and disorderly.
PC Jonathan Reynolds, 35, was caught on bodycam over his use of ‘excessive’ force in the shocking arrest of Jamie Cruse, 27
PC Reynolds was seen on camera gripping the drunk man after giving him a powerful shove
But he was then hurled to the floor by the police officer when they arrived at Newtown Police Station.
A misconduct hearing was told PC Reynolds also pushed the suspect ‘into the corner of a wall, saying: ‘You are a cheeky f****r”.
He admitted his language was unprofessional and that he ‘should not have risen’ to Mr Cruse’s insults.
Stephen Morley, representing Dyfed-Powys Police, said Mr Cruse was ‘generally unpleasant’ to Reynolds and teased him about his lack of hair.
Mr Morley said: ‘He called him a bald c**t’.
He said: ‘The facts are not in dispute. Mr Cruse had been ejected from the premises and was arrested by PC Reynolds’ colleague, PC Aimee Dix, for being drunk and disorderly.
‘Whilst Mr Cruse was in handcuffs and being taken to the police car PC Reynolds sprayed his PAVA spray into Mr Cruse’s face from very close range.
‘Thereafter PC Reynolds failed to give Mr Cruse any aftercare and appears to have been generally ‘rough’ with him, using unnecessary force to push him around as he was placed into and out of the police vehicle and taken to the custody suite.’
Footage then picked up the 27-year-old being shoved through a door
Mr Cruse suffered bruising to his wrists during the incident on May 27 last year.
PC Reynolds was interviewed and said he knew Mr Cruse to be volatile – saying he was a ‘lovely lad’ when sober and a ‘nightmare’ when drunk.
He said when Mr Cruse called him a ‘bald c**t’ he feared being assaulted and decided to use his PAVA spray.
PC Reynolds denied losing his temper and claimed all the force used at the police station was reasonable – except for a ‘misjudged push.’
He said he ‘should not have risen’ to Mr Cruse calling Dyfed-Powys Police officers ‘useless c***s’ but instead responded: ‘You’re the useless c**t.’
An altercation started after Reynolds arrested Mr Cruse outside a Newtown pub in Wales, before seeing his temper after being goaded for having a ‘bald head’
Tensions escalated as Reynolds took offence to the comments and then sought to use force
He resigned on June 12 after 10 years on the force and said: ‘I agree that I have to leave my job due to the actions I did that day.’
Dyfed-Powys Police officer Chief Constable Mark Collins said ‘the public would be appalled’ at how he handled Mr Cruse.
PC Reynolds, of Newtown, has been convicted of two counts of assault over the incident.
He is due to be sentenced at Swansea Magistrates’ Court.
The misconduct hearing was told he previously had an ‘exemplary’ record.
He has now been added to the police barred and advisory list for five years.
In his closing statement, Chief Constable Collins said: ‘You have been a good and hardworking police officer.
‘However throwing Mr Cruse to the ground in the way seen on the CCTV could have caused serious injury.
‘The public would be appalled at your attacks on Mr Cruse – particularly when there is national and international concern for the actions of the police.
‘The matter is so serious that dismissal is appropriate to maintain public confidence.’