Jurors watch spy TV police brawl

Jurors were today shown close circuit television footage of a melee in which one police officer was struck in the face and others were involved in struggles.

A crowd of people were involved in the disturbance outside Brannigans Nightclub in Cardinal Park, Ipswich at around 2.00 am on June 28 last year.

Darryl Flora, 22, of Pintail Road, Ipswich, Michael Bouyer, 19, of Eastwood Cottage, Henley and Lee Beaton, 20 of Bramford Lane, Ipswich deny violent disorder in relation to the incident.

The jury at Ipswich Crown Court was today told how one of the officers involved in the disturbance admitted he may have handled the matter differently with the benefit of hind sight but claimed he had been "kicked in the face" by Bouyer.

Bouyer had jumped on the back of Beaton at the time of the alleged kick. PC Brown had been trying to arrest Beaton after he had seen him hitting an advertisement hoarding.

Despite PC Brown's attempts to get to Beaton other people were pushing Beaton away.

This culminated in Bouyer kicking the officer in a "donkey style" while on the back of Beaton.

Defending, Matthew Gowan said it was simply "horseplay" and that his client had not intended to strike the officer.

Bouyer declined to comment in his police interview. Beaton had told police in interview that he had drunk a string of drinks, including nine shots of Malibu which left Beaton "merry".

PC Brown claimed that he had a headache and a foggy left eye after the incident.

The brawl, which was said to involve a mob of 30 people, continued when another PC got hold of Bouyer and a struggle on the ground ensued.

PC Brown then switched his attention to trying to arrest Bouyer.

He was eventually able to do this and arrested Bouyer for being drunk and disorderly. He was later arrested for an assault on PC Brown.

The trial is still to hear from other officers involved in the case.

The trial continues.