Police officer found guilty of assaulting a child and then leaving him naked while in police custody in Banbury

A police officer has been found guilty of assaulting a child who was in police custody in Banbury.

The court heard that Police Sergeant (PS) Matthew Myers struck the child on the face and then removed his clothing, leaving him naked until a detention officer came into the cell to assist him.

The 49-year-old appeared at Luton Magistrates’ Court on February 22 where he was given a community order to do 200 hours of unpaid work after being found guilty of the battery of a child, following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation.

The boy was in police custody in Banbury, on January 4, 2020, when the incident happened.

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IOPC regional director Graham Beesley said: “PS Myers abused his position as a custody sergeant to assault a child and he has now been convicted of that offence.

“His primary duty is to ensure the safety and welfare of all those who are detained and assaulting a looked-after child who was vulnerable, where English was not his first language, is the exact opposite of what the officer should have been doing.

“The sentence shows that officers are not above the law and this kind of behaviour is not acceptable.”

The matter was voluntarily referred to the IOPC on January 16 2020 and they completed their investigation in May.

A decision on whether he should face disciplinary action is being considered.