Police Sergeant Dismissed After Restraining Violent Suspect in Controversial Case
A police sergeant with an untarnished twenty-year record has been dismissed from South Wales Police after he wrestled a violent suspect to the ground and struck the man three times in a desperate attempt to restrain him during a highly charged incident. Rhodri Davies was found not to have caused any physical or mental harm to the highly aggressive Tariq Evans, aged twenty-three, while trying to detain him on suspicion of affray in 2022. However, a misconduct appeal last month determined that Davies should be sacked for his actions, which were deemed unnecessary, disproportionate, and unreasonable.
Details of the Incident and Misconduct Findings
Four other findings of misconduct were overturned during the appeal, but Davies was informed that striking the suspect amounted to using unlawful force. The panel heard how, prior to the incident, Evans had already displayed violent behaviour towards other members of the public and police officers. Evans, who has autism and ADHD, was arrested in the Morriston area of Swansea on October 24, 2022, shortly after 7:30 PM. Officers had been called to the scene amid reports of Evans and other males fighting, with the suspect allegedly hitting several vehicles with a fire extinguisher.
When Evans saw a marked police van arrive, he approached it and headbutted its window before fleeing, prompting officers to search for him. Evans was eventually detained by Taser and use of PAVA spray, and it took numerous officers to take him to the floor and restrain him while he spat at them. One officer described his level of aggression as nine out of ten. Evans continued to be aggressive and uncooperative, with officers struggling to get handcuffs on him, eventually using a baton to assist.
Footage and Testimony from the Custody Suite
Footage from the scene combined with testimony at the misconduct hearing revealed how Davies and other officers attempted to bring Evans into the custody suite. Davies was accused of bringing Evans to the ground in a dangerous manner and striking him on several occasions while he was on the ground. He was then accused of using an unsafe technique to bring the suspect to his feet, namely by using his handcuffs. With Evans now standing, Davies can be seen striking Evans on one or more occasions before using a dangerous restraint, placing his hand in a c-clamp across the back of the suspect's neck and applying downward pressure, followed by knee strikes.
The footage also shows the sergeant losing patience and swearing at the suspect. According to Jonathan Walters, representing South Wales Police, the incident amounted to gross misconduct because there was no justification for taking Evans down to the floor at that point. However, Martin Graves, an expert on police use of force, told the original hearing that Davies's actions were in line with his training and justified.
Reactions and Broader Implications
Local Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, who represents Gower, said the former custody sergeant had been failed, while Davies has spoken out to say he did not deserve to lose his job. Speaking to The Telegraph, Davies explained how his case has terrified his former colleagues in situations where they have to handle violent suspects. He said, "If we get something wrong, if we fail to search someone properly, if we fail to treat a suspect with the caution they require, it is potentially life or death. My former colleagues do not use force on violent suspects because they are terrified that they will lose their jobs, and ultimately that means the public and police are less safe."
At the appeal, Davies highlighted that no other officers present made any complaint about his conduct at the time of the incident. He also flagged that, unusually, the investigating officer told those present they would not get into trouble if they decided to change their accounts, having given statements at the time. None of the witnesses amended their statements, the panel heard. The case against Evans was subsequently dropped, while Davies has lost his appeal and now works in finance.
Similar Cases and Police Response
The case echoes that of police officer Lorne Castle, aged forty-six, who is appealing against a Dorset Police decision to sack him for gross misconduct. Mr. Castle was found to have used disproportionate force during the arrest of a fifteen-year-old boy in Bournemouth in January 2024. A Stanley-like knife fell from the boy's waistband during his arrest, but a misconduct panel said PC Castle failed to act with self-control or show the boy courtesy and respect. His dismissal came months after Mr. Castle won a national lifesaving award for saving an elderly lady from a flooded river.
A spokesman for South Wales Police said, "The appeal tribunal is an independent body to hear appeals against the findings of internal misconduct proceedings against police officers. They are not linked to South Wales Police, and operate independently to ensure fair and impartial decision-making. The independent tribunal panel upheld grounds one and two of former PS Davies's appeal, overturned the original decision, and made its own decision on the conduct. They concluded that two standards – use of force and discreditable conduct – had been breached, and the only appropriate outcome was one of dismissal without notice. This decision reflects that of the original misconduct hearing panel."
