Tomlinson inquest: PC Harwood gives evidence
Relatives of Ian Tomlinson stormed out of his inquest today after the police officer who struck the newspaper seller with a baton during the G20 protests said he wanted to “help the family”.
Judge Peter Thornton QC told PC Simon Harwood: “You may refuse to answer a question if the answer tends to incriminate you.”
Dressed in a grey suit and a patterned yellow tie, Harwood said he “was very aware of that” but would “answer questions just to help.”
“I’m here as a witness to help with the inquest and also to give some sort of answers to help the family,” he said.
Tomlinson’s death made global headlines in 2009 after video emerged which challenged the official version of events.
A pathologist found the 47-year-old newspaper seller died of natural causes but amateur video showed him being pushed to the ground by PC Harwood.
He staggered about 100 yards before falling to the ground in Cornhill, near St Michael’s Alley.
“Jeering, shouting… That was when I was aware there was very hostile crowd. I was actually in fear for my life then.” PC Simon Harwood
When asked about his use of force, Harwood said he understood that appropriate force needed to be “reasonable and proportionate”.
He said: “Use of the reasonable force always has to be justifiable by the individual, nobody else.”
Harwood said he put on his balaclava and helmet when he saw a fire and got out of his van when he saw a protester writing on a colleague’s van.
“I saw a male in dark clothing bending down facing the offside of the police carrier … I could see by the actions of his arm that he was writing something on the body work of the vehicle.”
Follow our Ian Tomlinson inquest: special report where you will find all the background and latest developments
He said he tried to “escort the man away” as the crowd became increasingly hostile and started to get “out of control”.
“Jeering, shouting, there were some, I believe, carrying placards coming towards me. I was literally the centre of attention at that stage.
“That was when I was aware there was very hostile crowd. I was actually in fear for my life then with what was coming towards me.”
He said he had attended a large number of demonstrations during his time in the TSG but was “not disappointed” to be given the role of carrier driver during the day of the G20 protests.
Earlier on Monday the inquest heard PC Simon Harwood was told he “was being stupid” when he identified himself in the footage as the officer pushing Mr Tomlinson.
Inspector Timothy Williams told PC Harwood the officer involved had already been identified.
“When it came on PC Harwood obviously looked at the footage and he said to me ‘I think that’s me’.
“And I looked at him and I said ‘No, no it’s not’. I don’t know why he thought it was him because it obviously wasn’t.”
The inquest heard PC Harwood rejoined the police service in November 2004, going straight into the Territorial Support Group, based in Catford.
PC Harwood was suspended from the Met on full pay after escaping prosecution.
The inquest continues at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in Fleet Street, London.