Former Met officer on trial for alleged historic abuse

The alleged victim described to a jury at Southwark Crown how he was called a n****r, slapped, beaten, kicked and swung around by his handcuffs, hitting every inside panel of the van.

The witness, now 44 years old, who can’t be named for legal reasons, told the court the officer, Gurpal Virdi, then a constable, delivered 15-20 blows and then used the handcuffs “like a ring in a bulls nose. I was in so much pain. The metal burnt marks into my skin.”

He went onto describe how PC Virdi then used a collapsable police truncheon to indecently assault him.

The Crown allege the incident took place in November 1986 in Clapham, South West London when PC Virdi and another officer arrested the teenager for brandishing a Stanley knife. for which he was later convicted. But the alleged victim only came forward with the allegations in 2013 post the Jimmy Savile affair.

When asked why now, he replied no one listened at the time but do now, and he wanted Mr Virdi to “pay for what he had done”.

The jury heard that the retired officer when questioned last year described the allegations as “malicious and false”. He said he would never have behaved that way and at that time was the only officer in that area of London “stopping white officers beating up black prisoners”.

Mr Virdi added he suspected a conspiracy behind the allegations. He denies indecently assaulting the teenager and misconduct in public office. The trial continues.