Police officer punched man to 'distract him'

A police officer who punched a man twice while putting him in a police van hours before his death said he did it to "distract" him.

Robert Gracey, 39, of Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, died in the early hours of 29 September 2021 at Lincoln County Hospital.

The inquest, at the Myles Cross Centre in Lincoln, heard Mr Gracey had become unresponsive in a police van having earlier been restrained by officers after banging on a police station window.

Garry Firth, who was a police officer at the time but has since retired, admitted to punching Mr Gracey twice to "distract him" while he was resisting being put in a police van.

On Wednesday, the jury was shown body-worn camera footage of police officers restraining Mr Gracey shortly after midnight on 29 September, hours before his death.

Part of the footage shows Mr Firth punching Mr Gracey in the stomach twice while attempting to get him in the van.

On Friday, the inquest heard a statement from Mr Firth, who was deemed medically unfit to attend the inquest, being read out in court.

In the statement, Mr Firth said he thought Mr Gracey may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs and was behaving in an "aggressive manner".

Mr Firth said he took hold of Mr Gracey but he broke through his grip. He said he thought Mr Gracey was going to attack him as he stood back and gritted his teeth.

In his statement, Mr Firth said, after Mr Gracey was tackled to the ground, he stood on Mr Gracey's leg to restrain him.

"He was enraged, gritting and grinding his teeth and spitting," Mr Firth said.

"He was resisting with all of his strength. He was struggling violently," he added.

Mr Firth said he then punched Mr Gracey twice with his right fist to "distract him".

After getting Mr Gracey into the van, Mr Firth and PC Nicky Briscoe were heading to Lincoln Police Station when Mr Gracey became unresponsive. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

During his questioning on Wednesday, Mr Paul Wilson, who was the sergeant at the scene, said officers used distraction strikes "in a hope it would momentarily stun that person".

At the start of the inquest, Mr Gracey's wife, Zoe, said it was "heartbreaking" to see officers call her husband names and subject him to violence in the last hour of his life.

The inquest continues.

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