TWO police officers are under investigation after a Bromsgrove television builder was cleared of assaulting them in a McDonalds car park.

Huntley Thawe, 48, who is from Bromsgrove but now lives in Kidderminster, was captured on camera being punched, hit with batons and pepper sprayed by the officers as they struggled to arrest him outside the Redditch restaurant.

The star of Channel 4's Renovation Game was picking up his children, aged six and nine, from his estranged wife Anna Thawe on April 15, when they argued over their sons' passports.

Two officers, PC Andrew Herlihy and PC Simon Riley, were called to the scene after Mr Thawe flew into a 'Godzilla rage' and used his van to block his ex-partner into a parking bay.

Mr Thawe denied using threatening behaviour, obstructing a constable and two counts of assaulting police.

And following a three-day trial at Redditch Magistrates' Court, he was cleared of all counts on Thursday (September 28).

As the verdict was read out, Mr Thawe shouted 'yes' and leapt up with his hands in the air.

Chair of the bench David Shadwell said: "You say that you made no threats and no threatening words or behaviour to anyone. But you also said that you had been loud and emotional.

“Those actions were unacceptable to many people, but we as magistrates have decided that it does not amount to causing alarm, harassment or distress.

"PC Herlihy tells you to get out of your car but moments later changes the instruction to move the car. He then says that you are obstructing the lady.

"All you are doing is sitting in the car, disagreeing with the officers.

“On these grounds, we as magistrates have decided that you did not obstruct a constable in the execution of their duty.

“An arrest for breach of the peace can only be lawful if there is an immediate threat of a breach.

“We believe that there is not a reason to believe that there was an immediate threat that that this could happen.

“Therefore the arrest was unlawful, and there was no right for them to use force, and you were entitled to use self-defence.”

Thawe previously told the court how he had 'waved his arms around' to stop the officers arresting him after they struck him, because 'slave days are long gone'.

Sarah Magill, defending, accused the officers of 'barbarically' punching her client and said he had been 'persecuted and wronged'.

She added: “The two officers used the ‘act now, justify later’ approach to this incident.

“I do not invite you to like Huntley Thawe, but you might understand that he believes that he has been persecuted and wronged, and should not here in the first place.”

The two officers involved are now under investigation following a formal complaint.

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: "We acknowledge the findings of the court. We can confirm that we have received a formal complaint against two of the officers involved in the arrest of Thawe.

"Now that legal proceedings have concluded we can start our investigation into this complaint and it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this time.”