Glasgow Crime Research

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A woman "cried out in pain" when she was allegedly assaulted by a police officer at a police station, a court has heard.

Constable Paul Fanning, 33, used a "great deal" of force when moving a female prisoner onto the ground from a bench she was lying on, a witness said.

The court also heard it is believed a comment made by another officer about "putting the dog in the kennel" was about the alleged victim, 59-year-old Jennifer Dickson.

The alleged incident on October 7, 2010, took place at Stewart Street police office in Glasgow's city centre, after Ms Dickson was brought into the station.

PC Fanning denies the assault and has lodged a special defence of self defence.

Inspector James Dunbar was giving evidence at PC Fanning's trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

CCTV footage of the alleged assault was played to the court and shows Ms Dickson being taken to an area of the police station where she is asked to sit on a bench and give details.

The woman can be heard shouting and swearing at PC Fanning and his colleague.

PC Fanning appears push her down onto the bench and rests a hand on her right shoulder, then quickly swaps to her other shoulder when she lunges towards his arm.

He can be heard shouting at her not to bite him.

The officer is then seen putting the woman onto her right hand side on the bench - with her hands cuffed behind her back - before putting her onto the floor.

Procurator fiscal depute Andrew Beadsworth, prosecuting, asked Inspector Dunbar: "Did you hear a cry of pain when Jennifer Dickson was put to the floor?"

He answered: "I did, yes."

The inspector was also asked how much force was used by PC Fanning in moving the woman onto the floor and he said a "great deal".

After watching the footage the witness was asked to comment on where he thought Ms Dickson's head landed.

He told the court: "I could only surmise her head would have collided with the floor.

"Her head would have hit the floor when the rest of her body went down."

The court was told he thought that because of the speed that she was moved.

Mr Beadsworth asked: "What do you mean by that?"

The inspector said Ms Dickson was not taken down in a "slow and controlled manner" in his opinion.

Inspector Dunbar said he got the impression the comment about putting the dog in the kennel was about Ms Dickson.

After watching the footage again the witness told the court he noticed that the officer who made the comment pointed towards the female on the floor as he said it.

Defence advocate Shelagh McCall had the witness confirm that after the alleged incident a police custody support officer searched Ms Dickson and moved her hair away from her face and she did not cry out in pain.

The court heard Ms Dickson visited her GP, Dr Sharon Turner, after her time at the police station and was found to have swelling to her right cheek.

Dr Turner told the court Ms Dickson showed her a number of photographs of her face with bruising and swelling underneath her right eye that were on her mobile phone.

The trial before Sheriff Alan Miller will continue at a later date.