Officer to face new hearing
Tuesday 31st July 2007, 12:20PM BST.
A Shropshire police officer is to face a fresh misconduct hearing in connection with the death of a busker who was taken into custody – two years after the original case was halted.
Constable David Walton was found by an inquest jury to have used “reasonable force” in arresting Robert Hall, 42, of Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, who later died from a head injury.
Mr Hall struck his head on the pavement as Mr Walton took him to the ground. He was taken to Shrewsbury Police Station and examined by a force physician who said he was fit to be detained. Later on he could not be roused and was taken to hospital, where he died.
The original disciplinary hearing was stopped in 2005 when West Mercia Constabulary’s disciplinary panel accepted the verdict at the coroner’s inquest – accidental death – amounted to clearing the officer of any wrongdoing.
But a spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission today said: “Last May Mr Justice Keith, in the High Court, ruled that the misconduct panel was wrong in law when it halted the hearing as an abuse of process.
“As a result of the High Court decision, Constable David Walton, the West Mercia Constabulary officer who arrested Mr Hall, will appear before the hearing from October 8 to 19.”
West Mercia Constabulary declined to comment on the case today.
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