I was trying to protect myself, arresting officer tells Bristol court

A police officer denied putting his arm across the throat of a man he had arrested for having a fake blunderbuss in a street in Eastville.

Inspector Mark Collins was cross-examined by Benjamin Gray, the man he arrested, on the second day of a case at Bristol County Court.

Mr Gray, 43, of Boswell Street, has brought a case against Avon and Somerset Constabulary's chief constable Colin Port claiming he was unlawfully arrested, detained and assaulted by police in October 2005, following an incident with a neighbour.

The court heard that Mr Gray had made a 999 call to police complaining about a neighbour sitting outside his house in a car revving the engine.

He told the court that his neighbour, Mr Ellis, got out of the car and swung a punch at him. Terrified that he was going to be attacked, he ran in the house and grabbed a replica blunderbuss which he smashed on a wall next to Mr Ellis.

When police arrived Mr Gray was arrested on suspicion of having an offensive weapon in a public place and taken to Trinity Road police station.

Inspector Mark Collins, who was a constable at the time, told the court Mr Gray was rude and abusive all the way to the station but was not handcuffed.

But at the station he refused to be searched and three officers, including Inspector Collins, restrained him.

It was while being restrained that Mr Gray claims he was assaulted by the officer, accusing him of using unnecessary force by putting an arm across his neck, blocking his airway.

CCTV footage of Mr Gray being restrained was shown to the jury along with a still photograph from the film.

Inspector Collins said: "At no stage did I purposely or otherwise put my arm across your throat.

"I put my arm up to stop you head-butting me or spitting in my face. My forearm was against your head."

Mr Gray called him a liar, a crook and a thug and said his neck had been pulled back and Inspector Collins' arm was across it.

He told the jury: "It was in effect, attempted murder."

Mr Gray, who was representing himself, became angry because he felt he was not being allowed to conduct his case in the way he wished and stormed out of the courtroom.

The case is due to continue on Monday.