Police officer sentenced over Mansfield custody assault

David Flint, 47, was found guilty of assault against a handcuffed male prisoner in the custody suite at Mansfield police station on November 4 2015.

The court was told that Flint was motivated as a result of the same prisoner spitting at him during a separate period of detention on a previous date.

Flint denied common assault, claiming to have used reasonable force in circumstances fearing a repeat incident.

His defence was not accepted by the court which ruled that Flint’s behaviour was unjustified.

Flint was also ordered to pay £620 costs when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Monday 17 October).

The officer is suspended from duty, and will now be subject to internal disciplinary process.