2014/11/27
Two police officers chased a severely autistic man in a car ‘because it was funny’ before one beat him in a racist-fuelled attack, a court heard.
Police constables Christopher Pitts and Christopher Thomas were heard laughing as they drove after Faruk Ali, who was walking in the street in Luton.
Pc Thomas described Mr Ali as a ‘f***ing P***’ before he got out of the car, ran after Mr Ali, who has the mental age of a small child, and beat him, Aylesbury Crown Court heard.
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The officer allegedly rugby tackled Mr Ali before throwing him into some bins and punching him in the face, as he desperately tried to get away.
Mr Ali was left with cuts and bruises following the attack.
The pair then got back into their car and drove off when they were confronted by concerned family members.
Both are accused of trying to cover up the motivation for the chase, claiming they were concerned for 33-year-old Mr Ali.
They deny misconduct in public office and perverting the course of justice. Pc Thomas is also charged with racially aggravated common assault and common assault, which he denies.
David Richards, prosecuting, told the court: ‘The case against them, which at first may seem extraordinary, is that they chased a vulnerable man for no proper reason whatsoever, that one of them assaulted him and that he did so in part because of racial hostility.
‘Then those two accused deliberately mislead those they knew would hear about their conduct in the form of a complaint.’
He said Mr Ali had the mental age of a three or four-year-old and was incapable of living on his own.
The court heard Mr Ali had definite routines and would go to a Day Centre on a Monday and Tuesday.
He would get up early and put out the bins for his family and neighbours. He had done so for several years and the bin men would call him “Superman”‘.
The jury was played a video recording from the officers’ car taken at around 8.20am on February 20. The recording shows Mr Ali walking along the street at which point, it is alleged Thomas, 33, says ‘F***ing P***.’
The Vauxhall Vectra is then seen on the video turning round and Mr Ali is seen running down the street.
Both officers are apparently heard laughing before stopping at one end of Whitby Road. Pc Thomas then got out as it was a one-way street and Pc Pitts, 39, drove round the other side.
‘There was no reason at all for chasing Mr Ali,’ said Mr Richards.
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‘Why they did so can only be discerned from what passed between them…and it seems to be nothing short of because it was funny, because it was entertaining.’
One of Mr Ali’s neighbours described seeing Pc Thomas ‘rugby tackle’ him before throwing him into some wheelie bins and punching him in the face.
As Mr Ali tried to get into his house, Pc Thomas bundled him into the door and onto the ground inside and punched him again, said Mr Richards.
Mr Ali cried for help, drawing his brother and sister to the scene along with other neighbours.