Moment innocent cyclist is 'ferociously punched' by police during lockdown search

Shocking footage shows the moment police officers attacked a cyclist during a lockdown stop and search, as he's punched, kicked, and sprayed with pepper spray.

Police sergeant Jennifer Edwards and PC Declan Jones are shown in the footage attacking cyclist Michael Rose in Birmingham at the height of lockdown in April 2020.

Jones was convicted and jailed over the attack and later took his own life, while Edwards has now been subject of a misconduct hearing where she denied breaching professional standards.

But the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) - which investigated the case over 11 months - said misconduct had been proven and Sgt Edwards has been handed a final written warning which will stay on her record for four years.

CCTV of the incident shows innocent cyclist Michael Rose being pepper-sprayed by Sgt Edwards after he was "walloped and ferociously punched" by PC Jones in a stop and search in Aston, Birmingham.

A misconduct hearing heard that Rose had felt uncomfortable because the officers were not wearing face masks but insisted he had "nothing to hide".

He said: "I had nothing to hide so I stayed there. I had never been stopped by the police before. That was the first time I had ever been.

"They had no masks. I was trying to keep myself away from them. They were roughing me up. I didn't want them in my face.

"I was being roughed up for no reason. He slammed me against the car. Look, he is pushing my face down. He is taking off my mask and breathing in my face."

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Rose's stepfather Bernard Jones later confronted Sgt Edwards and PC Jones.

He described the attack as "vicious", saying: "He wasn't resisting. He was telling people to keep their distance. [PC Jones] walloped him three times with full force. Mikey is only a little thing."

The hearing heard how Sgt Edwards followed and searched Rose alongside PC Jones before PAVA spray was discharged twice.

A spokesperson for the IOPC said the two-day gross misconduct hearing found Sgt Edwards had breached police standards of professional behaviour for use of force at the lower level of misconduct, in relation to her using her pepper spray the second time during the incident.

The statement went on: "She was also found to have breached the standards for conduct and for duties and responsibilities for not showing the man courtesy, consideration and respect and non-compliance with the requirements of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).

"The independently chaired disciplinary panel ruled that the officer’s actions amounted to misconduct - rather than gross misconduct - and handed PS Edwards a final written warning which will stay on her record for four years.”

Following the outcome, community leader Bishop Desmond Jaddoo released a statement welcoming the findings, saying Sgt Edwards had done "nothing to de-escalate the attack Mr Rose was subjected to".

He said: "Although she has not lost her job, which in our opinion should have happened, we do welcome the final warning.

"It is time the West Midlands Police Federation takes stock. I believe some officers have stereotypical views when policing inner-city areas and this is not a great advert for community relations.

"However, on this occasion, the police officer has been held to account and it is hoped that moving forward community relations will improve. We must remember the police need the community and the community need the police."