A top Tayside police officer accused of assaulting a child has been cleared of all charges following a one-day trial.
Detective Chief Inspector Iain Wales appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court accused of assaulting the child over a four-year period.
Ch Insp Wales, 48, was also accused of threatening or abusive behaviour during an incident earlier this year.
But after evidence had been led in court, depute fiscal Stewart Duncan said he would not be seeking a conviction for the assault charge, which alleged that between dates in 2013 and 2017, on various occasions, DCI Wales had repeatedly seized the child by clothing, before pushing the youngster on the body on to a bed.
He was also accused of seizing the child by the body, pulling the child by the body and causing the youngster to fall to the floor, causing injury. The second charge alleged that DCI Wales had behaved in a threatening or abusive manner that was likely to cause a reasonable person fear or alarm in June of this year.
This charge was dismissed by Sheriff Gregor Murray, and DCI Wales was formally found not guilty.
Both charges related to an address in Angus.
Several children gave evidence from behind a screen during the trial, including the alleged victim.
The sheriff, the procurator fiscal and a defence agent watched a video of the child taking part in an interview with police officers after the alleged offence in June.
During cross-examination, the child maintained that an injury had been caused to the youngster’s leg when DCI Wales had pulled by the wrist.
The child said that after the incident, Wales had apologised and said he had not intended to hurt the alleged victim.
Robert Vaughan, defence agent for Wales, suggested that the alleged victim could have put legs down to prevent a fall to the floor.
DCI Wales has been involved in a number of high-profile investigations in Tayside, including Operation Ferry, launched last year to probe a series of high value thefts in Dundee.
He was also formerly headed up Tayside Division’s public protection unit.
The officer declined to comment when approached by the Tele following the conclusion of the trial.
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