Disciplinary Panel Hears Police Officer Used Unreasonable Force During Arrest in North Wales

A police disciplinary panel has convened to examine the actions of a North Wales Police officer who repeatedly struck a suspect in the head while holding him in a neck restraint during an arrest in Gwynedd.

PC Richard Williams is appearing before a formal misconduct hearing at the North Wales Police headquarters in Colwyn Bay. The proceedings center on allegations that the officer applied excessive and unreasonable physical force across multiple stages of an encounter with a member of the public.

In total, Williams faces eight distinct misconduct allegations arising from the arrest of Steven Clark. The charges encompass a range of physical tactics, including placing the suspect in a headlock or "choker" hold, striking him numerous times, deploying incapacitant spray in an unjustified manner, and forcefully handling the detainee while loading him into a police vehicle.

The panel was presented with visual evidence captured from multiple perspectives during the altercation. Investigators and panel members reviewed several video clips, including footage recorded by police body-worn cameras and independent video captured on mobile phones by bystanders who witnessed the incident unfolding.

According to the evidence detailed at the hearing, the physical struggle escalated when Williams restrained Clark by gripping the man's neck with one arm while simultaneously delivering repeated blows. It is alleged that Williams struck Clark nine times in the face or head using one hand.

Presenting the case, disciplinary representatives emphasized the rapid and unyielding nature of the physical strikes. The panel was told that the officer delivered nine punches in quick succession without pausing to reassess the situation or reflect on whether continued force remained necessary to achieve control over the suspect.

The hearing also examined the nature of the restraint hold applied to Clark's neck. The disciplinary panel was told that placing the suspect into a headlock was disproportionate and unreasonable under the circumstances, directly jeopardizing the man's physical safety.

During subsequent interviews with investigators, Clark stated that the restrictive hold severely impaired his ability to breathe. Clark further indicated that the pressure applied around his throat caused him to feel as though he was slipping out of consciousness during the struggle on the ground.

Additional allegations presented to the panel involve the use of standard policing restraints. It is alleged that Williams intentionally utilized handcuffs in a manner designed to inflict pain on Clark's wrist, causing the detained man to visibly wince and react in distress.

The panel is also considering four separate allegations specifically concerning Williams' deployment, or apparent deployment, of incapacitant spray during the confrontation. Misconduct representatives contend that the use of chemical spray during the arrest exceeded what was necessary and reasonable.

A further allegation relates to the manner in which Clark was transferred into police transport. As officers attempted to secure Clark, who was resisting, Williams is alleged to have thrown or dropped the detainee into the rear compartment of a police van rather than safely guiding him inside.

Williams has formally denied all allegations of wrongdoing, maintaining that his conduct during the dynamic encounter did not constitute an improper or unlawful use of force given the resistance he encountered.

The internal disciplinary proceedings follow earlier criminal litigation regarding the same incident. In 2025, Williams stood trial at Caernarfon Crown Court in Gwynedd, where he was cleared of criminal charges of assault and intentional strangulation following a seven-day jury trial.

Despite the previous criminal acquittal, police misconduct hearings operate under separate regulatory standards to evaluate whether an officer's conduct fell below the expected standards of professional behavior and integrity required of serving personnel.

The incident itself took place in May 2023, when officers were dispatched to an address in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, in response to an emergency call regarding an ongoing domestic disturbance.

Upon arriving at the scene, responding officers spoke with a woman who reported that Clark, who was 34 at the time, was behaving erratically and was under the influence of cannabis and potentially other intoxicating substances.

The misconduct panel heard that the interaction took an immediate turn for the worse when officers moved in to place Clark under arrest, culminating in the suspect being taken to the ground and subjected to the physical restraints now under formal review.

The misconduct hearing at police headquarters in Colwyn Bay was adjourned at the conclusion of the day's evidence and is scheduled to resume on Tuesday.