Greater Manchester Police officer cleared of assaulting girl, 2, and her dad - but now he faces possible disciplinary action
14.10.2022 - 19:59
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A police officer accused of assaulting a two-year-old girl and her dad during a confrontation at a house in Oldham has been cleared following a trial.
PC Paul Cleasby, 34, from Middleton, was found not guilty of two counts of assault today. Although cleared of all charges, the GMP officer now faces possible disciplinary action.
After the toddler’s mum called emergency services to report her ex-partner would not move out of her home, officers from GMP turned up.
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The prosecution alleged PC Cleasby kicked a door into the child's face and punched her father while he was holding the toddler.
The officer strenuously denied the allegations during his trial at Liverpool Magistrates' Court. Today he was acquitted.
During the trial, he told a judge he did not know the two-year-old girl was there and did not believe she was struck by the door. He admitted repeatedly punching the girl's father, but said the first blow was in self-defence and that the next two punches were appropriate.
The incident began at about 10.30pm on November 18 last year and lasted about eight minutes in semi-darkness in the hallway and kitchen of the first floor flat, the court was told.
Footage from the officers’ body worn cameras was played to the court, showing the incident beginning after PC Cleasby refused to take his foot out of the door so the man could shut it until his former girlfriend came downstairs.
The officer told the court he did not want it to close and pushed it with his right hand with force. "Did you have any idea that the child was in the vicinity of the door?," asked his KC, Nicholas De La Poer. "No," he replied.
The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons,