West Midlands Police custody officers face assault trial

9 Sep 2019 12:00 PM

Two West Midlands Police custody officers will appear for trial at Birmingham Magistrates Court today charged with assault by beating.

The charges against Detention Officer Steve Orton and Police Sergeant Howard Price were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) following our investigation which looked at their use of force against a man detained at the Oldbury custody unit on 11 November last year (2018).

We began our investigation following a referral from West Midlands Police in December and subsequently referred a file to the CPS to consider criminal charges.

Our investigation was completed in May and both officers denied the charge against them when they made their first appearance before magistrates the following month.