Police officer guilty of assault by Sellotape

George Stewart handcuffed Arlene Pattie to a window when he and fellow officer Shirley Tindall went to arrest a resident at Dundee’s East Port House. He wrapped Sellotape round her head over her glasses, hair and nose, leaving her “hysterical”.

Stewart was yesterday branded “unprofessional” and “juvenile” by a sheriff after being found guilty of assault. Ms Tindall was found not guilty because a sheriff decided the handcuffing did not form part of an assault on the worker, and her only part in the incident had been to hand over her cuffs to Stewart.

Mrs Pattie, 47 – whom the court heard had a “flirty” relationship with Stewart – told a four-day trial at Dundee Sheriff Court that she had vomited as soon as the police left.

She said she had been placed in a crucifix position by Stewart after he twisted her arms and cuffed them to a window frame.

Stewart then borrowed a pair of cuffs from Ms Tindall before cuffing her other arm to the window.

Mrs Pattie said: “I was absolutely petrified at that time. He had twisted my arms round and it was sore – and I had had lung surgery not long before.

“He was sitting on the desk playing with the roll of tape. He then started rolling it round my head,” she told the court. “It was down over my nose – that was what frightened me the most. I was completely humiliated.”

Advocate Susan Duff, defending Stewart, asked Mrs Pattie if she had been flirting with Stewart. She said: “Isn’t it the case that what took place in that office was just a carry-on between two consenting adults?”

Visibly upset, Mrs Pattie replied: “That is so untrue. I vomited and became hysterical when they left. When the tape was around my face I made it very obvious that I was distressed.”

Giving evidence, Stewart told the court he was “gobsmacked” that Mrs Pattie had made a complaint about his behaviour.

He admitted his conduct “had not exactly been professional” and confessed he regularly flirted with the bail hostel worker. He said he had cuffed her to the window as part of their “banter”.

Stewart has resigned from Tayside Police.

Ms Tindall – who received two commendations in 2007 after being stabbed in the line of duty – told the court she had not intervened in Stewart’s “antics” because she did not think Mrs Pattie was in any danger.

Stewart, 35, and Ms Tindall, 39, whose addresses were given as care of Tayside Police HQ in Dundee, denied assaulting Mrs Pattie to her injury on 20 July, 2010.

Sheriff Richard Davidson found Stewart guilty and Ms Tindall not guilty. He ordered Stewart to pay Mrs Pattie £1,000 in compensation.

Sheriff Davidson said: “Your behaviour was wholly unprofessional and juvenile. I don’t know what you were thinking.”