Police officers who sprayed teenage girl with pepper spray and kneed her in the head convicted of assault

District Judge Justin Barron said that, although he has sat in court for 35 years, he was 'genuinely shocked' when he first saw body-worn video footage of the assaults, which took place in Sussex, during the two-day trial.

Police Constable Deborah Sands, 46, was found guilty of assaulting the victim with PAVA spray, a synthetic pepper-like spray which acts as an incapacitant.

PC Kris Green, 35, was found guilty of kneeing the girl in the head at the court hearing on December 20.

Folkestone Magistrates Court was told the cops used too much force against the girl, who was a missing person at the time, when they detained her in East Sussex on May 19 last year.

The bodycam footage showed the cops, who are both based in East Sussex, using force against the girl and getting into arguments with her as she was arrested.

PC Green also kicked the girl in the leg and covered her with a spit guard, a type of mesh garment that covers the face and head, the court heard.

The judge added: "I am sure the degree of force was wholly disproportionate to the circumstances they (the officers) found themselves in."

The officers, who had both denied the charges, will be sentenced on January 26.

A five month probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the police watchdog, began in July 2020 following a referral from the force.

Both officers are accused of gross misconduct because of the force they used and for allegedly sharing the footage with colleagues for non-policing purposes and making inappropriate comments about it.

They are also accused of being discourteous and not truthfully recording the force they used.

The force will now progress disciplinary proceedings.

During the probe, force analysed the video, reviewed custody CCTV, looked at local and national policing guidance on the use of force, interviewed both officers, took witness statements from everyone who watched the incident and reviewed the account the girl gave to police after she was arrested.

IOPC Regional Director Graham Beesley said: “While there are occasions when the use of force is required, police officers are entrusted with the power to do so only if it is necessary, reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.

"Our investigation raised serious concerns about the actions of both officers and the Crown Prosecution Service made the decision to bring charges after we referred a file to them.

“The court has clearly taken the view that both officers, whose role involves ensuring the welfare of detainees, went beyond what was necessary to ensure control of the girl in a custody environment."

Detective Superintendent Rachel Carr, Head of the force's Professional Standards Department said: “While police need to use force at times during the course of their work, this is highly regulated, and excessive use of force is unacceptable and any incidents will be fully investigated.

“As soon as we became aware of this case we made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and the officers were placed on restricted duties while they were under investigation.

"We then suspended them after an IOPC investigation led to them being charged with the offence. We will be resuming disciplinary action against the officers now that the criminal investigation has concluded.”