A police officer who punched a suspect nine times in the head used unreasonable force on multiple occasions, a police misconduct hearing has been told.
PC Richard Williams faces eight allegations relating to the arrest of Steven Clark, including using a headlock or “choker”, unreasonable use of incapacitant spray, and throwing or dropping Clark into the back of a police van.
A misconduct hearing at North Wales Police headquarters in Colwyn Bay heard Williams denies wrongdoing.
He was cleared of assault and intentional strangulation following a seven-day trial in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, in 2025.
In May 2023, police were called to Porthmadog in Gwynedd, following a report of a domestic argument.
A woman told officers, Clark, then 34, was “off his head on wacky backy” and possibly other drugs.
The misconduct hearing was played several clips of police body-worn camera footage, as well as mobile phone video recorded by onlookers.
When police tried to arrest Clark, the misconduct hearing was told things “take a turn”, and the suspect ended up on the ground.
It is alleged Williams used handcuffs to “cause pain to Clark’s wrist”, who “winced and reacted”.
