Sussex Police say footage off arrest will be reviewed after man claims he can’t breath is held on the ground
A video capturing the arrest of a man claiming he could not breathe while being held to the ground by police is to be reviewed by West Sussex Police bosses we can reveal. They have yet to confirmed the man had made an official complaint and if they would be asking the Police watchdog to review the evidence
The distressing footage shows the man on the ground after he was arrested on
Montpelier Road, Brighton.
A spokesman for Sussex Police say the man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and attacking officers they went on to say officers are trained to use reasonable force.
In a statement when we approached Sussex Police they said the man had become aggressive when officers tried to arrest the man. There has been no suggestion that the use of force was unconventional or that excessive force has been used.
But the force said the footage, and body-worn footage from the three officers attending, will be reviewed.
One witness who has asked not to named filmed man calling out he couldn’t breath said: “I was utterly shocked. I’d never seen anything like this before. I regret that I didn’t film the initial arrest. They held him on the ground for a long time. Why didn’t they just handcuff man straight away. The man from what I saw wasn’t resisting and was clearly distressed and in pain.
“Regardless of the suspected crime-this use of force was unlike anything I had seen before.
“It made me feel sick and left me unbelievably shocked.”
