Although I hesitate to reopen old wounds, you will remember that last year I took exception to the actions of a police NCO at the protest outside Parliament. Having previously served in the police for 25 years, I recognised that his actions amounted to a serious assault on an elderly man . . . yet some local correspondents, whom I shall refer to as “the usual suspects”, accused me of being disloyal to the police.
A report in Friday’s NZ Herald by reporter Derek Chang comments on that specific case, which was widely reported even overseas as the “eye gouging case”.
“The IPCA findings, by Judge Kenneth Johnston KC and released yesterday, followed an examination of 21 specific complaints that warranted further investigation . . .”
This specific matter involved an elderly complainant named Mr Peters being eye gouged and punched when he was not resisting or apparently committing any offence. Chang’s report identifies this incident as one which the IPCA referred back to the police:
“An officer reached through a line of police and punched a man in the head, and then stuck his thumb into the man’s eye-socket. The man was not being aggressive, so these were both an unlawful use of force. The man then lunged at the officer, and the officer punched him in the stomach several times — which was deemed reasonable and proportionate.”
