Met policeman jailed for kicking man during arrest

A Metropolitan Police constable has been jailed for 18 months for kicking a drug dealer while arresting him.

PC Edward Prince, 31, was convicted at Southwark Crown Court of intentionally kicking Nyrone Games in the face.

Games, who was found guilty in May 2007 of conspiring to supply Class A drugs, was wanted for breaching the terms of his prison release.

Speaking after the case, Met Commander Peter Spindler said he expected the "utmost integrity" from officers.

The court heard that when officers tried to arrest Trinidadian national Games at his girlfriend's home in Croydon, south London, he gave a false name and fled.

When police gave chase, Games tried to hit an officer with a shovel before eventually being brought to ground on Brighton Road in Purley.

Prince, from Crawley, West Sussex, was wearing plain clothes when he was captured on CCTV running towards the front of Games as he lay on the floor.

The footage, repeatedly played to the jury, did not cover Games's head and appeared inconclusive.

PC Tina Bassett told the jury she overheard Prince tell Games he deserved the kick.

Prosecutor Sam Brown said: "PC Bassett heard him say words to the effect that Games would have received worse if the incident wasn't captured on closed circuit television."

Games's blood and saliva were found on Prince's shoe, but he said they could have come from bending down so closely to him.

Commander Spindler, the Met's director of professional standards, said: "All Met employees are expected to behave professionally, ethically and with the utmost integrity at all times.

"Any instance where the conduct of our staff is alleged to have fallen below the standards of behaviour expected is treated extremely seriously by the Metropolitan Police Service and will be robustly investigated.

"Today's sentence sends a clear message that this kind of behaviour by a public servant is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in British society."