Cop punches spitter in the face

So is the spitting charge added onto this arrestee's charges? I don't particularly care he got punched in the face, I'd do the same thing personally.

Eww but he took it too far, hit him once, maybe twice and treat him roughly while he's in prison like the crappest cell and stuff, but cops should really have more self control as they are after all the enforcers of law, so should abide by it

Personally, if he had just thrown one punch (he had to open the van door to get at Uba) and admitted what he'd done, I'd be happy if that was the end of it. "Don't spit at cops (or anyone), especially not in their mouth (urgh), or you will get hit" seems a reasonable code of conduct for all of us to live by.

my main concern would be that he denied it and tried to make up some self defence nonsense.

The policeman done nothing wrong. It is a natural reaction to hit someone in the situation he was in.

You could say that about hundreds of other scenarios and people would still find room to disagree. While it may be natural for you, many probably wouldn't resort to violence, especially someone of the law.

Maybe. I must confess that I would have struggled to control the urge to hit someone if they spat in my face.

Eww but he took it too far, hit him once, maybe twice and treat him roughly while he's in prison like the crappest cell and stuff, but cops should really have more self control as they are after all the enforcers of law, so should abide by it

Eww but he took it too far, hit him once, maybe twice and treat him roughly while he's in prison like the crappest cell and stuff, but cops should really have more self control as they are after all the enforcers of law, so should abide by it

Legally, it wouldn't make much of a difference to his position though. Whether it's understandable or not, there wouldn't be much choice if he admitted it other than to convict him of a crime and sack him.

I agree though, a bit of a backhand over that sort of thing is not inherently unreasonable. Still, I suppose we expect higher standards of our police who are, after all, charged with the care of people who they detain.



Well, faced with an investigation against him, it's not like the alternative - a criminal record and no job - was appealing.

It's not the place of a policeman to punch someone in the face. Even if the person they're trying to arrest is violent they should focus on restraining the person, not attacking them. Having said that, in the heat of the moment it would be almost instinctive to 'get even' on someone for attacking you.

I say fair play to him.
No one has any respect for police officers anymore. I think they should be able to react more strongly to abusive behaviour such as spitting. You should see how the young kids behave towards them these days, they aren't afraid of them at all.
I think police officers should be feared enough that people don't spit in their face, when it comes to anti-social behaviour, force should be allowed.

He shouldn't have done it but I think most other people would have reacted the same way. Like John Prescott punching his egger, it's like an impulse, but you perhaps should know how to restrain yourself if you're a politician or policeman.