Officer allegedly used police dog to 'violently' attack suspects

A constable unlawfully used his police dog to "vent his contempt" and "inflict gratuitous violence'' on criminal suspects he was chasing, a jury has heard.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer Paul Jackson, 35, is accused of deploying German Shepherd dog Jerry to cause serious injuries to five men on dates between August 2015 and September 2016.

The dog handler is also said in some instances to have committed further unlawful violence himself with punches, kicks or other blows, Preston Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford said the separate incidents happened when Jackson was on duty and involved in the pursuit and search for the complainants.

The jury was told each complainant had criminal convictions and one of them, Lee Junior Walker, was a murderer.

In two of the incidents, the Crown accepted the initial deployment of Jerry to detain the suspects was lawful but thereafter Jackson went on to use or allow his dog to cause serious injuries when it was not reasonable to do so, said the prosecutor.

He said Jerry was released unnecessarily in two other police chases - one complainant had already sustained a broken back and a broken leg and another was lying prone on the ground and was no threat to anyone.

Mr Sandiford said Jackson - who denies five counts of wounding with intent - had no lawful reason to arrest or detain a fifth complainant.

He said: In respect of each count, the Crown says that having detained the complainant Mr Jackson effectively went on the attack. He used police dog Jerry, and in some instances his fists and feet, to vent his contempt on those persons he was arresting or detaining.

He was in effect using gratuitous violence in order to satisfy those feelings of contempt or to teach the complainant a lesson for being a criminal, as Mr Jackson saw it.''

He said such force was not necessary, reasonable or lawful.

Another GMP officer, Paul Lockett, 37, is in the dock with Jackson accused of misconduct in a public office and aiding and abetting one of his colleague's alleged assaults.

Mr Sandiford said Lockett was present at the scene of the one of the incidents and did nothing to stop it or to report it to his superiors.

Lockett also denies the allegations against him.

Outlining the counts against Jackson, Mr Sandiford said that in August 2015 the officer was involved in a pursuit of a Vauxhall Vectra in which Lee Junior Walker was a passenger.

During the chase the Vectra was abandoned on tram tracks in Wythenshawe, Manchester, and Mr Walker jumped out and ran off, the court was told.

The defendant gave chase and set loose Jerry, who caught up with Mr Walker and bit his lower left leg.

Mr Sandiford said when Jackson arrived at the scene he took the opportunity to vent his obvious contempt'' for Mr Walker by grabbing him by the arm and punching him to the mouth.

Mr Walker said he was also kicked a number of times in the head and had his legs stamped upon as Jerry was allowed to continue holding and biting.

The jury heard Mr Walker could feel Jerry making contact with the bone in his arm and could see chunks of his flesh on the ground before other officers arrived and the violence stopped.

In March 2016, officers were keeping watch on a stolen Audi A7 car in Little Hulton, Bolton, when four males, including Leighton Wheatland, in a Ford Focus approached.

When police officers moved in to arrest them, the Focus sped off and a high-speed pursuit followed, the court was told.

Wheatland eventually abandoned the vehicle and ran on to the driveway of a house and hid behind a parked car, but the police helicopter traced him and an officer blocked any attempted escape.

Mr Sandiford said when Jackson came on the scene he released Jerry despite Mr Wheatland lying on the ground. Mr Wheatland recalled Jackson jumped on top of him, pulled his left arm behind his back and called him a thieving tt" and a scruffy c'', and said this was what burglars got''.

He said as he was arrested he was pulled one way by officers and the other by Jerry, who bit him.

Jackson later lifted Mr Wheatland's trouser leg and took a photograph of the injury the dog had caused, the jury heard.

In April 2016, burglary suspect Dale Kelly was being pursued in Stalybridge when he jumped about 20ft into a walled stream and broke both his back and right ankle.

According to Mr Kelly, he decided to give himself up when Jackson and his colleague Lockett approached, but Jackson punched him in the face and Jerry bit him on his right arm.

Mr Sandiford said Jackson pulled Jerry back before telling Mr Kelly he was going to "remember this" as he commanded the dog to sick him''.

Jerry then moved in and bit Mr Kelly's left leg down to the bone, the court heard.

The Crown says Lockett was present throughout the assault and did nothing to intervene and prevent it.

Later that same month, Kieran Burke was driving a car with no licence or insurance in Middleton when he was seen by Jackson on patrol, but the officer was said to have not received any information to suggest a crime was taking place.

Mr Burke panicked and ran from the vehicle as Jackson sent Jerry in pursuit, who caught him and pulled him towards Jackson.

The court heard Jackson then jumped on top of Mr Burke with his knees on his arms and chest before he punched him twice to the top of the head while Jerry continued biting.

One or more officers began to take photographs of Mr Burke's injuries while waiting for an ambulance, said the prosecutor, and Jackson was said to comment: That's a good one.''

The photograph was later sent to Jackson via WhatsApp, which Mr Sandiford said was another example of Jackson's unhealthy interest'' in injuries caused by police dog Jerry.

Finally in September 2016, Suleman Khan made off on foot from a vehicle being pursued in Bury by a number of police officers and a force helicopter.

Mr Khan ran along a railway line where he was followed by Jerry, who he tried to kick away after the animal bit at his ankles.

Infra-red footage from the helicopter then captured Jackson approaching Mr Khan from behind and felling him with a punch, the jury was told.

Mr Sandiford said Jackson jumped on Mr Khan and pinned him down as he appeared to strike him with his arms as Jerry was allowed to bite him.

He concluded: The prosecution says the picture that emerges from the evidence is that when opportunity presents itself, and he thinks he can get away with it, Mr Jackson is prepared to allow his disdain for the people he has to deal with to manifest itself in acts of gratuitous violence resulting in serious injuries.''

The trial continues next Tuesday.

• police dog
• Wythenshawe
• Stalybridge
• Bolton
• Middleton