An Indigenous teen was knocked unconscious after a police officer allegedly swept his legs from under him and knelt on his back in a shocking arrest captured on video, a court has been told. Ryan Barlow, 30, faced Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Monday for the first day of a hearing after pleading not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault. Just before 5pm on June 1, 20202, Constable Barlow and two probationary constables approached four teenagers in Ward Park, Surry Hills. All four boys told the court they walked away as police approached because they didn’t want to engage with officers.The officers caught up to the teens and asked why they were at the park, which the alleged victim answered the reason was “obvious” and said they came to the park near their houses every day. One of the teens, a 15-year-old boy, stepped back to film the interaction with police out of mistrust and “for safety”. The footage shows the alleged victim telling Mr Barlow “I’ll crack you in the f***ing jaw, bro” after a heated discussion.The teen said he didn’t intend to follow through with the threat but had made it out of “frustration … that I can’t go to my own park and not be harassed by police”. Police allege the officer replied “what was that?” and moved quickly towards the 16-year-old before telling the Indigenous youth he was under arrest for threatening an officer.The teen told the court that Mr Barlow grabbed his right shoulder and spun him quickly and then “tripped” him by sweeping his legs from underneath him without warning. With his hands being held behind his back, the footage shows the teen is unable to stop himself falling flat on his face.“I remember feeling my leg being pulled out from underneath me. I don’t remember hitting the ground,” he said.The teen rejected the suggestion from defence lawyer Brent Haverfield that he had been trying to kick his out towards Constable Barlow.He said he fell heavily to the ground, landing on his right knee, right shoulder and then the right side of his face. Photographs tendered to the court show the 16-year-old suffered cuts and pain to his knee, shoulder, jaw, chin and mouth as well as a chipped tooth. The teen said he was unconscious while he was on the ground. The video shown in court reveals Mr Barlow was kneeling on his back and a female officer was kneeling on his calves. The third police officer is seen kneeling close to the 16-year-old’s head while the handcuffs are being secured.“The complainant was visibly and audibly distressed, making a high pitched moaning sound,” prosecutor Darren Robinson told the court.The alleged victim said he didn’t remember making the noises or being on the ground. In the video shown to the court, the teenage boy repeatedly pleads with police by saying “you don’t need to hurt me”. The court was told the teen was spitting blood when was pulled into the upright position by police.In the video, the 16-year-old screams that he can’t feel his knee after police “flipped” him. “My knee could be broken, you sp**tic c**t,” he said. In the police body-worn footage, the teen repeatedly asks Constable Barlow to stop holding him by the back of the neck. “My head hurts, please don‘t touch my neck. I’m asking nicely,” the injured youth said. As his friends tried to approach, the video reveals Constable Barlow got out a can of capsicum spray and started shaking it.The then 15-year-old who videoed the altercation told the court that his friend was “not at all” acting aggressively when Constable Barlow arrested him.He and two other witnessestold the court the Indigenous teen hadn’t resisted arrest. The court heard the legal argument will rely on whether the use of force was “reasonably necessary” during the arrest.The court was told Constable Barlow continued to be employed as a police officer. The three-day hearing will continue before Magistrate Rami Attia tomorrow.
Source link
