THIS is the shocking moment a driver was punched in the face and wrestled to the floor by a cop in a “road rage” row.
Tree surgeon Shane Price has also now won a whopping £100,000 payout in compensation after saying he was left “mentally traumatised” following his clash with Inspector Jonathan Mellor.
Dramatic footage shows cop Jonathan Mellor punch driver Shane Price in the face after forcing him up against a fence[/caption]
Insp Mellor then pinned the driver to the floor while his terrified wife watched on[/caption]
The cop, who had more than 30 years of service, punched the driver in the face and pushed him to the floor before stamping on his foot in the horrifying scenes on the A46 in Lincolnshire on May 26, 2021.
Dramatic footage shows Insp Mellor and Shane arguing after pulling up on the side of the road before their confrontation turned violent.
The cop can be seen grabbing Shane by his arm and then by his neck as he throws him towards the side of the road.
As the officer holds Shane by the side of the road, his horrified wife watched on from inside their vehicle, filming the cop.
Tensions begin to rise as the pair discuss why Shane was pulled over, with the driver ordering Insp Mellor to “remove his hand” from close to Shane’s throat.
After Shane pushes the copper away, Insp Mellor launches a sudden attack at the tree surgeon, punching him in the face.
Shane’s wife can be heard shouting at the officer as the pair tussle, with the driver repeatedly exclaiming: “What are you doing?” towards Insp Mellor.
The cop can be seen hitting Shane in the face, before then stamping on his foot – which Shane had told him was injured – and using foul language.
At one point, the officer even tells Shane: “I’m going to take you to the f***ing ground” and “You’ve been f***ing pulled, haven’t you?”
Insp Mellor was charged with common assault for the attack but was found not guilty in 2022.
However, a police disciplinary hearing in January found his behaviour amounted to gross misconduct – adding he would have been sacked if he had not already retired.
Shane told the panel he had been left in pain and was “mentally traumatised” by the horrific fight.
Insp Mellor argued he had punched Shane as a “distraction technique” before pinning him to the floor, reports the Mirror.
The pair had pulled over at the side of the road, following Shane’s request, and after the tree surgeon accused the cop of taking a picture of him while behind the wheel.
Insp Mellor, who was in his own car and on shift as a duty inspector, was wearing a black civilian jacket, covering his police uniform.
Liz Briggs, representing Lincolnshire Police, said the men appeared to “grapple with one another” with Shane heard to be stating repeatedly, “What are you doing?”.
In the footage, filmed by Shane’s wife, Insp Mellor can also be seen stamping on Shane’s injured foot[/caption]
Shane has been awarded £100,000 in compensation following Insp Mellor’s shocking behaviour[/caption]
Hunter Gray, representing Insp Mellor, said a punch to Shane’s face and a stamp to his foot were a “recognised distraction technique” to “take control of Shane” due to his “increased agitation”.
He described it as a “road rage” incident and questioned whether the couple were “looking for trouble” when they asked the officer to pull over.
Insp Mellor told the hearing he didn’t take any photos, adding his actions were to “create a space where I’m in control of him and out the way of traffic”.
He also claimed that if he had punched Shane with “full force”, it would have “knocked him out”.
The disciplinary panel rejected claims of self-defence, saying the public would be “appalled” to learn of his behaviour.
It also dismissed Insp Mellor’s claims that Shane was aggressive towards him or that he was trying to protect him from stepping into the dual carriageway.
In addition to Shane receiving a six-figure compensation package, he also had his legal costs paid for, according to the BBC.
Insp Mellor, on the other hand, was found to have breached professional standards of force, discreditable conduct, respect and courtesy.
It also found that the threatening and abusive language used by Insp Mellor was “entirely unjustified”.
Jennifer Ferrario, the legally qualified chairwoman of the panel, said the panel found the copper’s actions in punching and stamping on Shane, as well as restraining him on the ground, to be “entirely unnecessary, unreasonable and disproportionate”.
Lincolnshire Police declined to make any further statement following the payment.
