KEY POINTS:
The father of a man who was allegedly assaulted by four policemen took photographs of his son's injuries because he wanted a record of the fact he had been beaten "severely and bestially".
Charles Falwasser yesterday gave evidence at the trial of Sergeants Keith Parsons and Erle Busby, Senior Constable Bruce Laing and Constable John Mills, who are charged with assaulting Mr Falwasser's son Rawiri at Whakatane police station.
Mr Falwasser said he arrived at the station on the evening of Labour Day 2006 to find his son cowering in a holding cell.
"It was obvious that he had been severely beaten. He was covered in blood," he told the court.
"The cell was covered in blood ... His clothing had been absolutely saturated with it. He was not in fine shape."
Mr Falwasser said the second of his five sons usually had a countenance that was "polite irrespective of circumstances", but on this occasion he was "cowering from the treatment he had received".
After Mr Falwasser and his wife got Rawiri home, Mr Falwasser took photographs of the injuries to his head and arms.
"He was beaten severely and bestially, and I wanted to have that recorded," Mr Falwasser said.
Rawiri, now 27, had been arrested for stealing a car and resisted attempts by officers to search, photograph and fingerprint him.
He had never been in trouble with police before and the Crown is arguing he was suffering a psychotic episode.
Under cross-examination, Rawiri admitted he did not co-operate with police and acted strangely, including licking the cell window and seat.
He said he had been licking blood off the window because a doctor had told him that if you lost blood, consuming it would get it back into your system.
A defence lawyer also contended that Rawiri had apologised to Constable Mills after the alleged assault.
Rawiri's brother, Tawera, told the court that Senior Constable Laing had called Rawiri "a real mongrel".
The trial continues on Monday.
