North Wales Police officer denies kneeing teen in testicles

A police officer accused of kneeing a teenager in the groin , resulting in him losing half a testicle, has denied causing the injury.

Harley Murphy was 17 when he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly outside Cube night club in Bangor, Gwynedd, in the early hours of 29 January 2023.

PC Ellis Thomas, 24, from Anglesey, is accused of kneeing him in the groin, which resulted in a ruptured testicle, 50% of which had to be removed during surgery.

PC Thomas denies grievous bodily harm during Murphy’s arrest.

At Mold Crown Court, he said Mr Murphy approached him and insulted him and it “was clear” he was “committing a criminal offence of being drunk and disorderly in a public place”.

He said he advised him of this and told him to go home, but said Mr Murphy swore and said he had not done anything wrong.

He said he took Mr Murphy to the floor by sweeping his legs from underneath him during his arrest but denied kneeing him in the groin.

He was shown CCTV footage of the arrest and said he had only lifted his leg because he was trying to sweep Mr Murphy’s ankles a second time.

Under cross examination by prosecution barrister Elen Owen he denied losing his temper and lashing out.

He watched footage from another officer’s bodyworn camera showing him shouting “come here and say that to my face” to one member of Mr Murphy’s group.

Ms Owen asked if he was being confrontational and escalating the incident, to which he replied: “Honestly, I don't think so.”

He said he had not switched on his own bodyworn camera before the arrest as he did not have the chance during the “dynamic” incident and refuted Ms Owen’s suggestion he was trying to cover his tracks.

He said he could not say why he put his hand over his camera after telling a colleague: “It was me who floored him.”

But he denied that meant he was admitting responsibility for causing the injury.

The trial continues.