PC on trial accused of battering man with truncheon

PC Douglas Fisher – who is also a lieutenant in the Territorial Army and has served in Afghanistan – is alleged to have assaulted Nawras Alwan during an incident in Dundee’s South Ward Road last year.

It is alleged that the officer, who was on duty at the time, attacked Mr Alwan – a former bouncer at the Liquid nightclub – by repeatedly striking him on the body with his police baton to his injury.

Yesterday, the trial heard how violence had broken out in the streets around the club on  23 October, 2011.

Dundee Sheriff Court was told that a fight involving up to ten men flared up in the city’s North Lindsay Street.

It broke up, before re-igniting around the corner on South Ward Road.

Steven Cruickshank, 23, told the court he had been attacked by a man of Asian appearance with a shaved head during the second incident.

He said: “One of my friends was knocked unconscious and had to be taken away in an ambulance. Police came along and broke it up.”

The court was shown CCTV footage of the incident – with Mr Cruickshank seen grappling with another man before police dragged them apart.

The man he was fighting then appears to be struck repeatedly by a police officer wielding a baton.

Mr Cruickshank agreed with defence QC Mark Stewart that the shaven-headed man continued to shout after he was apprehended by police and was not compliant with officers at the scene.

Mr Alwan told the court that at the time of the incident he was employed part-time at the Liquid nightclub – outside which the alleged incident took place – but no longer worked there.

He said he had recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical science from Abertay University.

Mr Alwan is set to give his version of events later today.

Fisher, 39, whose address was given on court papers as care of Tayside Police HQ, West Bell Street, Dundee, denies the alleged attack.

The summary trial, before Sheriff McGowan, who is sitting without a jury, continues today.