TWO police staff have been fined for using a “form of torture”

on a man who was being booked into a police station.

In CCTV footage, David Healer was heard screaming in agony and begging for a doctor as Sergeant Stephen Harvey wrestled his arm up his back.

Civilian detention officer Michael Mount was then seen grabbing Mr Healer’s arm in the custody suite at Peterlee police station in March last year.

Minutes later, Harvey grabbed and twisted Mr Healer’s wrist, while Mount again grabbed his arm to restrain him.

The court was shown the footage following Mr Healer’s arrest for breaching bail, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

Following their two-day trial in March, Independent Police Complaints Commissioner Nicholas Long said their actions amounted to a form of torture after magistrates convicted both of two counts of assault by battery.

Both Mount and Harvey have been moved to different departments within Durham Police as a result of the investigation.

Yesterday, Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard that both men had exemplary records during their time in the police and the incident last year was described as being out of character.

Sentencing both men, Oliver Johnson, chairman of the bench, said: “The greater punishment you will have received today is not the fine but the fact that your position in society will be severely downgraded in a bad way.

“Your unblemished character has gone.”

Speaking outside the court, Mr Healer welcomed the sentence and said he planned to take civil action against the force.

He said: “I suffered an angina attack while I was in the station and had to be taken to hospital and placed in the cardiac unit for treatment. I now intend to sue the force for the damage that was done to me during and after my arrest.”

Stephen Gowland, Mr Healer’s solicitor, said: “My client’s life has been affected greatly by the treatment he received both mentally and physically and he now has to live with severe pain for the rest of his life, due to the serious spinal injuries incurred in this incident.”

Outside the court, Durham’s Deputy Chief Constable Mike Barton said: “The actions of our staff were completely out of character, but they were wrong and should not have happened.

“This was clearly a case where excessive force was used.

“All of our cell blocks have CCTV monitoring, for the protection and safety of both detainees and staff. Custody facilities are also subject to regular inspection by independent custody visitors.

“It was precisely because of our CCTV monitoring facilities that this incident came to light.”

Harvey, 50, of Chester-le- Street, was fined £400 and ordered to pay £50 compensation, as well as a £15 victim surcharge and £930 towards court costs.

Mount, 61, of Thornley, east Durham, was fined £200 and ordered to pay £50 compensation, as well as a £15 surcharge and £465 towards court costs.