Police Inspector Admits Gross Misconduct in Detention of Teenager

mahla — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:01:03 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – A police inspector in England who used unnecessary force against a teenage detainee and mocked him for crying in custody admitted gross misconduct.

Matthew Downs, an inspector with West Midlands police, also turned a cell light off when the 17-year-old detainee said he was scared of the dark, a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday heard, The Guardian reported.

Downs said the detainee had been aggressive and he had reacted “instinctively” but admitted he had made a mistake and let himself down.

The youth, referred to as AB, was taken to Oldbury’s custody suite after being “red-dotted” with a Taser when he threatened someone with a machete while drunk in Walsall in February last year.

Presenting Counsel Andrew Waters said custody block inspector Downs, 49, watched other officers carry out standard search procedure on AB before becoming involved.

Waters told the misconduct panel, “He entered the cell and used unnecessary and gratuitous force on AB – in particular in picking him up … pushing him around.”

“In addition he was abusive to AB in two instances. He shouted and swore at AB and, when AB started crying, he mocked him for doing so,” Waters said.

“As he left the cell, he asked AB if he was afraid of the dark and, when AB said he was, he said ‘Good’ and turned the light off,” he added.

Giving evidence after CCTV footage of the incident in the cell was shown to the panel, Downs, who has served in the police for over 22 years, said the detainee had behaved aggressively.

“I just wanted to tell him to behave himself,” Downs said, adding, “As the officers were leaving the cell, AB made a threat. It was along the lines of ‘You see what happens now’, which I reacted to instinctively.”

After viewing the CCTV footages, Downs said, “It was a mistake, I shouldn’t have done it. I have let myself down.”

Adrian Keeling QC, representing Downs, urged the panel to impose a final written warning. The youth involved did not make a complaint about Downs, the hearing was told.

Keeling argued, “The culpability and harm is low. It’s a single incident and it’s in no way targeted or planned – it arises out of a spontaneous set of circumstances.”

Downs said he would “absolutely” agree to be reduced in rank if the panel decided to impose it as a sanction, adding, “I am proud to serve.”

The outcome of the hearing is due later on Tuesday.

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Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Teenager in West Bank

reporter 1222 — Wed, 13 May 2020 13:04:34 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian teenager south of the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron), amid simmering tensions in the occupied territories over Tel Aviv’s US-backed scheme to steal more Palestinian land.

Palestinian media reported that Zaid Jamil Al-Fayoumi, 14, was shot dead during clashes with Israeli soldiers at Fawwar refugee camp on Wednesday morning.

Later in the day, a funeral procession was held for the Palestinian teenager.

The Fawwar clashes, which also wounded five more Palestinians, came one day after an Israeli soldier was killed by a rock thrown at his head during an arrest campaign in the northern West Bank town of Ya’bad, according to Press TV.

In search of the perpetrator, Israeli soldiers once again raided Ya’bad on Tuesday evening, ransacked several houses, interrogated locals, and rounded up at least a dozen people, including two whole families.

They also fired live ammunition, tear gas, and stun grenades at the Palestinians during the clashes. One Palestinian was hit by a rubber-coated bullet in the foot and dozens were affected by tear gas.

The Israeli army further closed Ya’bad roads and placed a siege on the town.

Additionally, on Tuesday, Israeli forces stormed the towns of Qalqilya, Abu Dis, and Silwad as well as the Jerusalem al-Quds neighborhood of Silwan.

The Palestine Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said a total of 33 Palestinians had been detained in multiple Israeli raids across the West Bank.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, a Palestinian youth was injured by Israeli gunfire and detained near the military checkpoint of Qalandiya, north of Jerusalem (al-Quds).

Tensions have been running high in the occupied territories amid plans by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new coalition administration to impose Tel Aviv’s “sovereignty” over Israeli settlements and the strategic Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank.

US President Donald Trump’s self-proclaimed “deal of the century,” which was unveiled in January, effectively granted Israel a green light for the annexation in flagrant violation of international law.

The latest wave of clashes comes as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the occupied territories for high-level talks with Israeli officials over the annexation scheme, among other topics.

This is while the Palestinians, along with other Muslims, are gearing up to mark the International Quds Day to reiterate their call for the liberation of their homeland from Israeli occupation.

The Quds Day, which is commemorated worldwide on the last Friday of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, is a legacy of the late founder of Iran’s Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini.

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Police Inspector Admits Gross Misconduct in Detention of Teenager

Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Teenager in West Bank