Humberside Police: Man attacked by youths moments after officers witnessed them threatening him, but still left scene

It happened when officers were called to reports of youths damaging cars in Hull in June.

As the officers were talking to two youths, one challenged a man walking by with his dog, shouting: “What are you staring at?”

He then grabbed the dog walker by the collar, pushed him and said he was going to “beat him up”. As he went by, one of the officers’ body-worn cameras caught one youth shouting: “I’m going to go after him.”

Statements made to a Humberside Police Professional Standards Investigation revealed the less senior officer, a female special constable, asked the special sergeant if a public order offence had been committed, and if they should follow the youths.

He replied: “No, we need to get out of the area” and they left.

Moments later the youths attacked the man from behind. He was hit on the head and knocked to the ground.

Witnesses saw them punching, spitting and pushing him before a woman took him into her home. The youths then began kicking at her door and shouting in the incident which lasted around half an hour before police arrived.

The victim, who has been awarded damages in an out of court settlement after contacting Hudgells Solicitors, said he was disgusted by the officers’ inaction. The man, who was left with multiple cuts and bruises and a mild concussion, added: “As I was walking off, I heard some shouting towards me and one of the officers saying ‘leave him alone or I’ll arrest you’.

“I walked around the corner when all of a sudden I was hit on the head from behind and I found myself alone in a dark street being attacked by these two lads.

“I can even remember seeing the police car driving off in the distance, and I can’t repeat what I thought about them.”

Luckily a woman came to his aid, shouting at the youths, and another told him to go into her house.

The man said: “I was really annoyed with the police as they could have stopped it from the moment the lad got in my face.

“What if it had been somebody elderly? A week or so later, not far from where this happened to me, a man was hit and killed. That’s when I decided to make a complaint.”

During an investigation carried out following the victim’s complaint the officer admitted he “lacked confidence in confrontational situations” and that his lack of action had been neglectful, Hudgells said.

Humberside Police said the officer admitted failing to uphold his duties. A final written warning was issued and he had since resigned. Chief Inspector Ruth Penning said it was of “paramount importance” that they maintained the public’s trust and confidence.