A POLICE watchdog is to investigate after a man sustained injuries during a late-night arrest in Hereford city centre.

The incident was allegedly caught on camera and a video was posted on social media and sent to the Hereford Times.

The arrest is understood to have taken place on Commercial Road at around 3.30am on Sunday.

A man has been charged with several offences, including assaulting a police officer.

In recent days the online video has attracted more than 40,000 views and caused a debate on social media.

There have been no formal compliants to West Mercia Police, but the force’s Head of Professional Standards, Detective Superintendent Gary Watson, confirmed they have referred the incident to the Independent Police Compliants Commission ‘due to the injuries the man received during his arrest’.

He said: “A man has been charged with assaulting a police officer
and is due to appear in court.”

Police confirmed they were aware of the video on social media.

The video was taken on a handheld camera and is shaky, in slow motion, grainy and inconclusive about exactly what happened during the incident.

  • Agnis Martins Krauze, 22, of Dilwyn, is to appear at Hereford Magistrates' Court on January 19 at 1pm. He is charged with assault of a constable in the execution of his/her duty, being drunk and disorderly in a public place and obstructing/resisting a constable in execution of duty.