Arrested Policeman Threatened To Fight Fellow Officers If Handcuffed

"I'll fight you": PC Mark Toulson

A policeman's career with the Met is in ruins after he was arrested outside a cocktail bar for allegedly attacking two fellow officers then had to be overpowered by at least four cops when he resisted being handcuffed the next morning.

PC Mark Lesley Toulson, 34, had suffered a head injury and was being taken from hospital when he said: "I'll walk down to the van without a fuss, but if you handcuff me I'll fight you."

The Wandsworth Borough officer, of Summerhill Way, Mitcham pleaded guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates Court to obstructing police at St. George's Hospital on November 27, last year.

Yesterday he was fined £325, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £33 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Mrs Mary Lawrenson told the court: "Mr. Toulson swung around and started swinging his arms and it took the full strength of the Wimbledon officers, plus two Wandsworth officers to restrain him and take him to the floor."

Hours earlier PC Toulson had been arrested at Hemingways Lounge Bar, Wimbledon Village and was charged with assaulting two police officers and using threatening behaviour.

He pleaded not guilty to those counts and the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence

Hemingways Lounge Bar

because they had not replied to a defence expert who supported PC Toulson's claim he was suffering automatism and was not responsible for his actions.

"It cannot be ruled out he was suffering the effects of a head injury and a CT scan was required at the hospital," said Miss Heather Oliver, defending. "This is a man who was not in his normal state of mind."

Once the hospital concluded their checks officers wanted to take PC Toulson to Sutton Police Station. "One of them told Mr. Toulson if it was the other way around then the handcuffs would be put on him," added Mrs Lawrenson.

Miss Oliver said: "Officers were seeking to transport him from the hospital to the van and it was his obstructiveness that led to this incident.

"He has been a serving Metropolitan Police officer since the age of twenty-six and served on the Safer Neighbour Hood Team, the Urgent Response Team and the Task Team.

"This is going to have huge consequences. This is a man who has not only lost his good character and name, but is very, very likely to lose his job as well.

"He is a man who faces the loss of his career."

Magistrate Mr. Jim Peters told PC Toulson: "This offence is in the middle category of seriousness because of the swinging of the arms and the threat to fight."