A BURGLARY suspect who tripped over while being chased by Cheshire police officers later accused them of using excessive force to arrest him.

He alleged that he received a cut to the head when one officer bludgeoned him with a baton and that several had beaten him while he was on the ground.

But an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation.

A report published on October 26 states the man had lodged a complaint after slipping over while being pursued by officers.

It states: “On 21 December 2016, following reports of a burglary, a man was pursued on foot by officers from Cheshire Constabulary, detained and subsequently arrested.

“During his arrest he suffered a laceration to his head, believed to have been the result of being struck on the head with a police baton by one of the officers.

“The man was taken to hospital, where scans revealed that he also had an old fracture to a different part of his skull to where the laceration was, as well as fractures to three vertebrae.

“The man subsequently complained about the two officers involved in his arrest, stating he had slipped as he ran and that his injuries were caused by one officer hitting him on the head with a baton.”

The suspect claimed the officer had then hit his head against the ground and that both officers had beaten him about the body and back.

The officers stated the man had slipped as he attempted to flee from them, and that the baton had been swung towards his legs and struck him on the head as he fell. They denied assault.

The IPCC report continued: “During the investigation the two officers who reported being involved in the man’s arrest were interviewed under criminal caution. A medical expert was sought to provide an opinion on the nature and likely cause of the injuries.

“The investigator formed the opinion that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation of assault, and insufficient evidence upon which a reasonable tribunal, properly directed, could find gross misconduct or misconduct.”