Inspector sentenced for assaulting vulnerable boy outside police station

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Inspector Dean Gittoes, 49, of Oak Tree Rise, Merthyr Tydfil, “unlawfully” detained the 16-year-old outside Merthyr Tydfil police station on August 20 last year. “It was a continued unlawful assault.” Judge Toms said the offence was aggravated by the fact that it was an abuse of power and that Gittoes degraded the teenager by calling him a “clever little internet freak”. While there are occasions when the use of force is required, police officers are entrusted with the power to do so only if it is necessary, reasonable, and proportionate in the circumstances Catrin Evans, Independent Office for Police Conduct Footage played to the court showed Gittoes, wearing a Swansea City football club shirt and black shorts, confronting the teenager seconds before grabbing the boy’s phone, putting him into an arm lock and leading him into the custody suite. Gittoes was found guilty of assault on October 5 when Judge Toms concluded: “No reasonable person in possession of the same facts would have suspected the youth of terrorism.” Independent Office for Police Conduct director for Wales Catrin Evans said: “While there are occasions when the use of force is required, police officers are entrusted with the power to do so only if it is necessary, reasonable, and proportionate in the circumstances.”