THE trial of a naked man accused of fighting with police took an unusual turn when the District Judge dismissed three of the four charges laid against him.

Stephen Whenary was said to have fought back with superhuman strength when a domestic dispute spiralled out of control.

On the third day of the hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court Judge Roger Elsey threw out two charges of resisting arrest and one charge of assaulting a police officer.

Earlier another charge of assaulting a PC was withdrawn when the officer making the allegation failed to appear at court.

The court heard Whenary was left bloodied, battered and bruised after officers claimed they were forced to use CS gas and batons to bring him under control.

The 36-year-old, of Greta Road, Norton, near Stockton, told the hearing he did not provoke the officers and denied headbutting one when they tried to arrest him.

He described the injuries he received as excruciating: "As I got out of the shower I recall the batons hitting me several times. I was crying and all I wanted to do was get out of the bathroom," he said.

The injuries he received during the arrest resulted in Whenary being forced to take 13 weeks off work, he said.

He also told the court that when he was taken to the police van completely naked he felt humiliated.

The incident happened in Pine Street, Norton, Stockton, at about 5.30pm on Sunday, August 21, last year, when police were called by a neighbour after hearing the defendant and his partner, Lynne Stockton, arguing.

The trial continues.