Double trouble for cop in assault cases

Constable Alan Douglas' evidence failed to convince jurors in the assault trial of Timothy Croft, right. Photo / Dean Purcell

Last week was a bad week for Constable Alan Douglas. On Monday the West Auckland cop was found guilty of assault. On Tuesday he gave evidence against Timothy Croft who was charged with punching another officer in the face.

On Friday the jury found Croft not guilty at the Auckland District Court of intent to injure by a majority verdict of 10 to one. The 12th juror was excused on medical grounds.

Croft said he was acting in self defence after Douglas punched him in the eye and kicked him as he lay on his driveway.

Douglas denied kicking or punching Croft.

He also denied allegations that he punched a boy in the back of a police car in 2005. And he denied punching an 18-year-old in the face while he was in handcuffs, but confirmed to the court that on Monday, a jury had found him guilty of assault.

Croft's lawyer, Steve Cullen, said his client was punched in the face by his neighbour and called 111.

Instead of getting help, he wound up being beaten and thrown in a police cell.

Mr Cullen said Douglas and his partner Sarah Lord had spoken "unmitigated twaddle" about his client who he said had only been trying to tell police his side of the story.

"It is like a script for a bad movie, and normally they get away with it," Mr Cullen said.

Douglas and Ms Lord said they arrived at Croft's Glen Eden town- house and found Croft drunk and aggressive.

Douglas said he decided to send everyone involved in the incident back to their homes to cool off.

He said Croft was swearing loudly, and when he tried to arrest Croft for disorderly behaviour, Croft became violent and went for Ms Lord.

"For one reason or another, Croft was hell-bent on causing her some injury or some damage and the reason is Constable Lord told him he had been trespassed," Douglas said.

Ms Lord said Croft punched her in the mouth and later kicked her while he was on the ground.

Mitchell MacKinnon watched the fight from his garage but did not see the police kick Croft.

He said the three fell to the ground, and Croft was on his stomach, his arms and legs flailing.

One of Croft's legs hit Ms Lord in the face.

Crown prosecutor Mina Wharepouri said Ms Lord was left with two broken teeth and a cracked crown.

He said Croft had a bad attitude towards the police and had previous convictions for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest when he was involved in a drinking session at a West Auckland caravan park in 2007.

Croft denied punching Ms Lord or kicking her on purpose. He said he was punched in the eye by Douglas before landing on the concrete and being kicked by Douglas and Ms Lord.

Two witnesses who watched from the third floor of their townhouse told the jury they saw Croft kicked while he was on the ground.

Douglas will face a police disciplinary hearing over the assault charge on which he has been found guilty. He is to be sentenced in March.

Croft still faces charges of disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest.