On the 22 September 2015 my client Bryan Allden attended the Carling Cup Football game between Aston Villa and Birmingham City, taking place at Villa Park.
As he arrived at the entrance to the Doug Ellis Stand, he joined a congregation of Birmingham City Supporters, who were queuing for entry via the turnstiles.
In front of the Birmingham City Supporters, Bryan noted a line of Officers brandishing their batons, whilst instructing the Birmingham City Supporters to remain in position.
Bryan decided to record events on his mobile phone with a view to later posting the footage on social media.
As Bryan was recording the interaction of the City Supporters with Police Officers, he felt a sudden blow to his left hand, instantly causing pain and discomfort and for his mobile phone to fall from his grasp and onto the ground.
The unprovoked blow was delivered by PC Knowles of West Midlands Police who had used an overarm baton strike.
PC Knowles later claimed that he was being blinded by light from the phone and that he struck out so as to eliminate the source of that light.
Bryan subsequently attended hospital where x-rays established that he had sustained a significant fracture to his middle finger.
At the time of this event, Bryan was a time served panel beater. For over three years, Bryan did his best to carry on working, despite requiring multiple operations to reconstruct his hand, and suffering significant pain and discomfort and loss of grip strength. Eventually, four years after the attack, Bryan had to accept medical advice that he would never be able to return to panel beating, and instead retrain for alternative employment.
Although West Midlands Police admitted liability promptly, they refused to admit the full extent of his injuries and loss for a long time until eventually, a month before the case was due to go to trial, they agreed an out of court settlement of £358,000 plus costs.
Also read: £358,000 damages awarded for Police baton brutality: the case of Bryan Allden
