OFFICERS at the centre of an investigation into a “brutal” arrest will face a disciplinary hearing, say Cleveland Police.

In 2013, CCTV footage of a couple’s dramatic arrest was uploaded to social media and viewed almost 30,000 times.

A hearing will now take place to establish whether officers committed misconduct in the arrests of Thornaby man Darran Dunford and his former partner, Leigh Leach.

In August 2013, the pair had been making their way home from a folk festival when Mr Dunford was stopped on Stockton High Street by officers responding to reports of a man being drunk and disorderly.

He was arrested after swearing and claims there was an accidental “clash of heads” as they tried to place him in a police car – though Cleveland Police maintain Mr Dunford headbutted two officers and was in possession of cannabis, charges he later pleaded guilty to.

CCTV footage captures the moments following the arrest, described by Ms Leach previously as “brutal and thuggish”.

It shows several officers pinning Mr Dunford to the ground where he is repeatedly punched and kneed and has his face pressed into the ground - manoeuvres he claims left him briefly unconscious, bruised and urinating blood.

Footage also shows his former partner, Leigh Leach, approached by an officer before being forcibly taken to the ground and arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

She claims she was left further humiliated when “aggressive” officers refused to pull down her dress, which had been pulled up during the arrest.

The charges against Ms Leach were dropped when the Crown Prosecution Service found CCTV footage contradicted police evidence.

Cleveland Police initially claimed they had no case to answer in relation to the arrests and said all tactics used were approved and necessary.

However, three of the officers involved have now been ordered to attend a disciplinary hearing.

While Cleveland Police would not confirm their names, an earlier report from the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) recommended disciplinary hearings for PCs Michael Wilson, Darren Keeley and Gareth Humphrey.

As previously reported, the IPCC upheld complaints from the couple following an appeal and recommended PC Humphrey face a misconduct hearing over his treatment of Ms Leach.

In relation to Mr Dunford, the report added: “A disciplinary tribunal could take the view that PC Wilson and PC Keeley both have used excessive force and have a case to answer for gross misconduct.”

The IPCC has now directed the force to hold a hearing to determine if the officers have committed any misconduct.

A date for the hearing is yet to be confirmed.