A WEST Midlands police officer has been found guilty of two counts of common assault.

Declan Jones, aged 30, was convicted after a trial at Coventry Magistrates’ Court in June and the verdicts were returned at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.

The court heard PC Jones assaulted two members of the public on 20 and 21 April 2020 while on duty and attending to unrelated incidents.

In one incident, PC Jones stopped a male riding a bicycle to search him.

However, the officer punched him several times in his torso and held him down onto the bonnet of the police patrol car.

The following day he stopped a 15-year-old boy for a search. The officer punched him to the floor and kicked him in the ribs as he lay face down with his hands behind his head.

The incidents were captured on video camera footage played to the court.

In each case, the assaults on the victims caused pain and injury.

Declan Jones claimed he had acted lawfully in response to perceived danger, believing that each person may have had access to a concealed weapon. Following a search, however, neither of the victims was found to be carrying any weapon or prohibited item.

The district judge presiding over the case rejected the explanation for his actions and agreed they were unlawful and Celia Thorpe, of the CPS, said: "I do not underestimate the difficult, demanding and sometimes dangerous role of being a police officer patrolling our streets; however, in common with all members of society, police officers are accountable for their actions and are not above the law.

"Today's verdicts demonstrate the CPS will endeavour to bring cases to court where unlawful force is used and where it is in the public interest to do so.

"I would like to thank and pay tribute to the bravery of the victims who came forward and gave their support to the very thorough investigations carried out by the IOPC, their attendance at court and giving evidence during the criminal trial."

PC Jones will be sentenced on September 10 at Birmingham Magistrates' Court.

He will also face a misconduct hearing chaired by the Chief Constable.

Deputy Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine, of West Midlands Police, said: “DC Jones’ use of force was totally inappropriate and it’s right that he has been held accountable by the court today.”