A Whangarei policeman punched a suspected car thief who was handcuffed in the back of a police car until he slipped in an out of consciousness, a judge has heard.
Officer Richard Soper, 38, is on trial in Whangarei District Court charged with the assault of Wiremu Henare, now aged 18, on August 27, last year. Soper has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Henare, who is a serving prisoner, told Judge Stan Thorburn he was driving a stolen Audi on the evening of August 27 last year, when police tried to stop him.
He took off, reaching speeds of up to 160km/h, and the car crashed at One Tree Point after he failed to take a left turn at speed.
Henare said as soon as he crashed, he left through the passenger door as the driver's door was blocked. He had run off over a paddock, before being brought down by a police dog that bit his calf.