A police officer’s career is in jeopardy after he was convicted of attacking an autistic child following a game of football that turned sour.
PC Darren Moore pressed his head against the child’s head, pushed him and struck him on the face on Donald’s Lane, Dundee, in 2019.
His victim, now aged 16, said Moore turned into “a ball of rage” following a fight between other children playing football near his then-home.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard former postman Moore, who was off-duty, claimed he acted in self-defence by using a “defensive strike” in order to deal with a “male aggressive”.
He told the court he was unaware the child was only 13 at the time.
However, a sheriff did not believe Moore’s version of events and ordered him to pay a fine.
Moore is awaiting further misconduct proceedings from Police Scotland.
Victim’s evidence
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he was trying to explain the circumstances.
He said: “I remember him coming up in an aggressive manner.
“I was trying to say who was in the wrong because that boy had given a right hook to a younger lad.
“He wasn’t having it.
“He changed into a ball of rage.
“He put his head on mine. I was confused.
“Then he grabbed my collar and hit me on the left cheek.
“I fell instantly.”
The youth said he and his friends then reported the incident to his mother.
The victim denied under cross-examination from Moore’s agent, Ross Donnelly, that he became involved to “show off” to his friends or that he had been the aggressor.
Admission to mother
The court also heard from the victim’s mother, who said Moore admitted to her during a heated argument that he had “slapped” her son.
“Kids are not all angels so I wanted to know if my son initiated this,” she said.
“I was quite angry because it was a game of football, it shouldn’t end in a child being assaulted.
“He (Moore) was pretty aggressive to me, swearing at me and told me my son was a little s***.
“I advised him he was 13 and had additional support needs and I would expect a parent to come to the door instead of engaging with children on the field.
“He said he slapped him and I said I would be phoning the police.”
Accused gives evidence
Moore gave evidence and said he was called out to assist by two children at the scene.
He said he struck the victim in self-defence after the youth walked towards him in a confrontational manner.
“He (the victim) said something along the lines of: ‘I could tell you what happened because I was there’.
“I said: ‘I’m not interested in listening to you’.
“He then put his arms out and said: ‘No, I’ll tell you what happened because I was there’.
“He started walking towards me.
“I took a couple of steps saying: ‘Exactly what do you think you are away to do here?’”
‘I should have struck earlier’
Moore said the child “looked down to his left” before making contact with his face.
The court heard Moore then struck out with his hand, which caught the child on the upper chest and face.
Moore claimed the child “lost his footing” on a kerb before landing on the left side of his face.
He added: “I should have put the strike in earlier.
“Unfortunately, he got too close before I put the strike in.
“At the time, he was a male aggressive.”
Prosecutor Larissa Milligan, suggested Moore was “the person who turned this incident into a physical one”, which he denied.
Guilty
Sheriff Alison Michie found Moore, whose address was given as care of Police Professional Standards, West Bell Street, guilty of assaulting the child by forcefully pressing his head against the child’s, pushing him on the body, causing him to fall to the ground and striking him on the face to his injury on March 28, 2019.
She said: “I am asked to accept that a 13-year-old not involved in the initial incident has approached you for no apparent reason and attempted to headbutt you.
“I do not accept that.
“I also noted your insistence on referring to him as the male aggressor.
“I also considered your evidence was a push with a glancing contact and I do not consider that position to be a credible one.”
Moore was fined £750.
Police Scotland has been approached for comment.
