A Metropolitan Police officer has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison for physically assaulting a man who was restrained to a hospital bed with handcuffs.
PC Rajan Solanki, 28, received his sentence at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after admitting to the charge of assault by beating, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The IOPC indicated that the incident occurred during the early hours of June 10, 2024, when Solanki and a colleague responded to a situation involving a man admitted to a hospital in east London for a mental health evaluation. This individual had reportedly been violent earlier that evening and was secured to the bed with handcuffs on both wrists.
Solanki, who is part of the Metropolitan Police’s North East Area Command Unit, unfastened the man’s right handcuff. A confrontation ensued when he attempted to reattach it.
Court footage from body-worn cameras depicted Solanki restraining the man by placing his arm around his neck in a choke-hold manner. The restrained individual appeared to be in physical distress, with indications that his breathing was being compromised. The footage revealed that Solanki maintained the hold around the man’s neck for slightly over 20 seconds.
In addition to the prison term, the officer will also face a 12-month probation period following his release, as stated by the police watchdog.
Amanda Rowe, director of the IOPC, remarked, “Police officers are trained to employ force that is appropriate and justified in relation to the situation at hand. In this case, PC Solanki applied unlawful force by placing his arm around a detained man’s neck while he was already secured to a hospital bed. His behavior could have led to grave outcomes, and he has consequently been found guilty of assault.”
The watchdog confirmed that it will communicate with Scotland Yard regarding potential disciplinary actions “in due course.”
