A Met Police officer, Pc Rajan Solanki, was jailed for 12 weeks after assaulting a distressed man in an east London hospital.
Solanki was jailed for 12 weeks after admitting to assault by beating. The incident occurred at an east London hospital.
Last June, Solanki and another officer visited the hospital to see a man who needed a mental health assessment. He was handcuffed to the hospital bed.
Initially, the man was violent. Solanki removed one handcuff and then tried to reapply it, at which point a struggle broke out.
Video showed Solanki holding the man and putting his arm around the man’s neck. Solanki held the position for over 20 seconds while the man was lying in his hospital bed. He threatened to choke the man out. The man became physically distressed, and his breathing appeared restricted on the video.
Other officers and staff helped reapply the handcuffs, placing the man face down with his arms crossed in front.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court sentenced Solanki, and he will also serve probation after his release. The IOPC investigated the incident.
Amanda Rowe, an IOPC director, mentioned officers must use reasonable force. Solanki used unlawful force in this case, and his actions could have been very dangerous. The IOPC will discuss disciplinary actions with Scotland Yard.