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| Police officer used racial slur at arrested man, court told | Police officer used racial slur at arrested man, court told |
| (8 days later) | |
| A riot officer told a young black man under arrest in the back of a police van, "the problem with you is that you will always be a nigger," a court has heard. | A riot officer told a young black man under arrest in the back of a police van, "the problem with you is that you will always be a nigger," a court has heard. |
| PC Alex MacFarlane also told Mauro Demetrio, 21,"You will always have black skin colour" and "Don't hide behind your colour", in comments the arrested man recorded on his mobile phone in east London last August, which were played to Southwark crown court on Monday. | PC Alex MacFarlane also told Mauro Demetrio, 21,"You will always have black skin colour" and "Don't hide behind your colour", in comments the arrested man recorded on his mobile phone in east London last August, which were played to Southwark crown court on Monday. |
| The 53-year-old Metropolitan police constable was deliberately trying to "put Mr Demetrio in his place by demeaning him and distressing him", Duncan Atkinson, prosecuting, told the jury. | The 53-year-old Metropolitan police constable was deliberately trying to "put Mr Demetrio in his place by demeaning him and distressing him", Duncan Atkinson, prosecuting, told the jury. |
| He said: "It is clear that this abuse was racially motivated, and was targeted and was intended. Such words were designed to cause – and did cause – distress and insult. They were designed to suggest to Mr Demetrio that he was inferior to the officer because of the colour of his skin." | He said: "It is clear that this abuse was racially motivated, and was targeted and was intended. Such words were designed to cause – and did cause – distress and insult. They were designed to suggest to Mr Demetrio that he was inferior to the officer because of the colour of his skin." |
| In other comments saved on the phone, another officer in the van called Demetrio "a scumbag" and said he had throttled him "because you're a cunt". The recording was first revealed by the Guardian in March. | In other comments saved on the phone, another officer in the van called Demetrio "a scumbag" and said he had throttled him "because you're a cunt". The recording was first revealed by the Guardian in March. |
| MacFarlane has insisted his comments were not intended to be offensive and he had "wanted to try to defuse the situation" after Demetrio became agitated. In police interviews earlier this year, sections of which were read to the court, the officer said he had previously told other young black men not to hide behind their skin colour and this advice generally received a "positive response". | MacFarlane has insisted his comments were not intended to be offensive and he had "wanted to try to defuse the situation" after Demetrio became agitated. In police interviews earlier this year, sections of which were read to the court, the officer said he had previously told other young black men not to hide behind their skin colour and this advice generally received a "positive response". |
| The incident began on the early evening of 11 August last year, as days of rioting in the city began to tail off. Demetrio was in a car with a friend in east London when he was stopped for driving erratically by the police van carrying MacFarlane and about nine other officers. | The incident began on the early evening of 11 August last year, as days of rioting in the city began to tail off. Demetrio was in a car with a friend in east London when he was stopped for driving erratically by the police van carrying MacFarlane and about nine other officers. |
| Police said they could smell cannabis in the car and handcuffed Demetrio, taking him to their van. No drugs were later found but Demetrio was arrested after a radio check revealed he was wanted over two separate warrants, the court heard. | Police said they could smell cannabis in the car and handcuffed Demetrio, taking him to their van. No drugs were later found but Demetrio was arrested after a radio check revealed he was wanted over two separate warrants, the court heard. |
| In the van, Demetrio alleges, he was part-strangled and shoved against a window by another officer, Atkinson said. A doctor found evidence of neck bruising but no charges were brought in connection with this, | In the van, Demetrio alleges, he was part-strangled and shoved against a window by another officer, Atkinson said. A doctor found evidence of neck bruising but no charges were brought in connection with this, |
| Demetrio pulled his phone from a pocket and recorded an initial exchange with the other policeman, who responded to his shouts with, "Give it a rest, you're just a scumbag." Asked by Demetrio why he tried to strangle him this officer replied, "I did strangle you." Asked why again, he replied: "Because you're a cunt," before adding that Demetrio had been struggling and kicking. | Demetrio pulled his phone from a pocket and recorded an initial exchange with the other policeman, who responded to his shouts with, "Give it a rest, you're just a scumbag." Asked by Demetrio why he tried to strangle him this officer replied, "I did strangle you." Asked why again, he replied: "Because you're a cunt," before adding that Demetrio had been struggling and kicking. |
| Giving evidence, Demetrio, of Beckton, east London, said he began the recording after enduring other abuse and mockery from some of the officers, including references to them going on holiday with his mother and receiving oral sex from her and renditions of songs including The Wheels on the Bus. | Giving evidence, Demetrio, of Beckton, east London, said he began the recording after enduring other abuse and mockery from some of the officers, including references to them going on holiday with his mother and receiving oral sex from her and renditions of songs including The Wheels on the Bus. |
| After recording the first exchange, Demetrio said, he started the phone again and taped the conversation with MacFarlane. Asked how the officer's words made him feel he said, "It made me feel like shit, really. At that point it was, like, it can't get any worse. I felt violated." | After recording the first exchange, Demetrio said, he started the phone again and taped the conversation with MacFarlane. Asked how the officer's words made him feel he said, "It made me feel like shit, really. At that point it was, like, it can't get any worse. I felt violated." |
| After the comments Demetrio could be heard repeatedly shouting MacFarlane's lapel badge number and telling him he would lose his job. | After the comments Demetrio could be heard repeatedly shouting MacFarlane's lapel badge number and telling him he would lose his job. |
| Demetrio accepted the tapes showed him shouting and being abusive – at one point he calls the officer who allegedly throttled him a "fat mug" – but said this was a response to the physical and verbal abuse he experienced. | Demetrio accepted the tapes showed him shouting and being abusive – at one point he calls the officer who allegedly throttled him a "fat mug" – but said this was a response to the physical and verbal abuse he experienced. |
| Atkinson told the court that in three initial police interviews earlier this year about his comments to Demetrio, MacFarlane said only that he had "engaged him in conversation" but that they began arguing. He said: "Sadly, it ended up in a bit of a slanging match between us. It all became a bit unpleasant." | Atkinson told the court that in three initial police interviews earlier this year about his comments to Demetrio, MacFarlane said only that he had "engaged him in conversation" but that they began arguing. He said: "Sadly, it ended up in a bit of a slanging match between us. It all became a bit unpleasant." |
| On being played the recording during a fourth interview MacFarlane said he believed he had heard Demetrio first use "nigger" when asking why he had been arrested but his white friend set free. MacFarlane, based at Forest Gate station, east London, said he had repeated the term, "thinking, probably wrongly, it was acceptable in the context of our exchange". | On being played the recording during a fourth interview MacFarlane said he believed he had heard Demetrio first use "nigger" when asking why he had been arrested but his white friend set free. MacFarlane, based at Forest Gate station, east London, said he had repeated the term, "thinking, probably wrongly, it was acceptable in the context of our exchange". |
| Richard Atchley, defending, told the court that other officers in the van would testify that Demetrio "showered" them in abuse, some of it racist, homophobic and sexual in tone, including the repeated use of "white cunt". He stopped such language when he began recording. Demetrio said he could not recall using such terms. | Richard Atchley, defending, told the court that other officers in the van would testify that Demetrio "showered" them in abuse, some of it racist, homophobic and sexual in tone, including the repeated use of "white cunt". He stopped such language when he began recording. Demetrio said he could not recall using such terms. |
| MacFarlane was simply trying to persuade Demetrio that he was not being targeted due to his race, Atchley said, as shown by MacFarlane's later comment, "Be proud of who you are." Atchley asked Demetrio if he knew that this was once a Black Panther slogan. Demetrio replied: "Your points don't make sense." | MacFarlane was simply trying to persuade Demetrio that he was not being targeted due to his race, Atchley said, as shown by MacFarlane's later comment, "Be proud of who you are." Atchley asked Demetrio if he knew that this was once a Black Panther slogan. Demetrio replied: "Your points don't make sense." |
| The court also heard from Rob Jones, who gave MacFarlane diversity and race relations training in 2001. Asked about the use of "nigger", he said: "No matter what is said in the street, no Metropolitan police officer should ever use that kind of word." | The court also heard from Rob Jones, who gave MacFarlane diversity and race relations training in 2001. Asked about the use of "nigger", he said: "No matter what is said in the street, no Metropolitan police officer should ever use that kind of word." |
| MacFarlane denies intending to cause harassment, alarm or distress to Demetrio and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. | MacFarlane denies intending to cause harassment, alarm or distress to Demetrio and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. |
| The trial, which is expected to last two to three days, continues. | The trial, which is expected to last two to three days, continues. |
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