‘Belted him’: Wild footage as cop punches man in face before arrest
Shocking footage shared online shows a NSW police officer punching a man in the face before he is arrested.
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Shock footage has emerged of a NSW police officer punching a man in the face before he is held to the ground and arrested.
The footage, which was filmed by a passer-by and shared by ‘Traphouse bait n tackle’ on social media, shows two police officers approaching a man stood near the open door of a NSW police car in Murwillumbah on Monday.
Police said the officers, from Tweed/Byron Police District, were responding to reports of an assault at Knox Park at the time.
While dealing with the matter, police will allege in court a 50-year-old man approached officers and attempted to intervene.
There is no suggestion the man was involved in the original incident police were responding to.
“The man was issued a move-on direction before being removed from the location to prevent him hindering police further,” NSW Police said in a statement to news.com.au.
“A short time later, the same man approached a marked police sedan and allegedly placed his belongings on the bonnet and attempted to get in the vehicle.”
When officers approached the man, police allege the man took hold of a police officer by the arm and a “struggle ensued”.
In the video, the 50-year-old man can been seen grabbing onto the officer’s arm, moments before the officer punches him in the face, seemingly knocking him backwards.
“The copper just belted him,” a voice behind the camera is heard saying as he films the altercation.
The man then appears to stumble before the two officers hold him to the ground and arrest him.
“On the ground, police,” one of the officers shouts before the video cuts off.
The man was taken to Tweed Heads police station where he was charged with entering a vehicle or boat without consent of owner/occupier, assaulting a police officer in execution of duty without ABH, and hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty.
He was granted conditional bail and will appear in court in May.
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Originally published as ‘Belted him’: Wild footage as cop punches man in face before arrest