KEY POINTS:
A man who alleges he was assaulted by officers in a Whakatane police cell says he did nothing to provoke the attack.
It is alleged Rawiri Falwasser was assaulted by Sergeants Keith Parson and Erle Busby, Senior Constable Bruce Laing and Constable John Mills at the Whakatane police station on Labour Day 2006.
Mr Falwasser told the Tauranga District Court of being repeatedly batoned and pepper sprayed by police.
He had been picked up by police for allegedly stealing a car earlier in the night.
Rawiri Falwasser said during the attack he felt fear for his life.
"I felt like my life was being threatened. (I was) just really worried for myself," Mr Falwasser said.
He said he doesn't know why he was sprayed.
When he was asked if he said anything which prompted the action Mr Falwasser said "no".
He remembered being pepper sprayed first, then hit with a baton "six or so times".
Mr Falwasser said he was hit on the hand, shoulder and head and he thinks there were about three police officers hitting him with batons.
In regards to the hit on the head he said "it was really fast, I felt disorientated, I was more worried about myself than what was going on around me."
He remembers the police saying "turn around and face the wall."
He received a cut from the head and began to bleed. After the batoning he said the police officers continued to spray around the entire cell. He said he couldn't breathe.
Mr Falwasser wrote hell and jesus on the cell wall in his blood and, when asked why he did that, he said, " I just felt I needed someone I knew to come there and help me."
His testimony is continuing.
