“I’m not sure” whether officers “grabbed” the disabled man on the dance floor, a court said

Paul Powers told a court he was “not sure” whether he saw police lay hands on his disabled friend at Dorothy’s Showbar

A witness to an alleged assault by two Merseyside police officers had a history of complaints against police and had previous criminal convictions, a court has heard. Matthew Muskett and Zach Gell appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, November 27, both charged with assault by beating after they allegedly grabbed Sam Corner and forced him into Dorothy’s Showbar on Victoria Street in Liverpool city center May 11, 2023 Gell and Muskett deny the allegations.

Mr Corner, who has cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD and a stoma bag, was with three friends, Adam Smith, Paul Powers and his partner Frances on the night of the Eurovision semi-final.

The third day of the trial has already heard how Gell, 27, of Starbeck Drive, Little Sutton, and Muskett, 25, of Windham Close, Eastham, allegedly attacked Mr Corner in the corridor of the nightclub before following him in and out of the men’s toilets.

READ MORE: “Don’t think I won’t hit you because your friend is here.”READ MORE: Lee Harrison charged with drug offenses after police stopped his car

When Paul Powers was cross-examined by Maria Brannan, defending Matthew Muskett, he was asked to demonstrate the physical intimidation he said he saw Mr Corner being subjected to by a group of men with whom Muskett and Gell were on the dance floor at the bar. However, when the attorney pointed out that he was having difficulty demonstrating his actions, Powers told the court he was unsure whether Muskett put his hands on Corner at that moment or not, before the incident spilled into the nightclub hallway. He said: “(They) moved around him, trying to impose terror on him.”

When Mr Powers was asked why his police testimony differed from his court recollections, he claimed his testimony had been watered down and “whitewashed” by police officers. After telling the court on Tuesday, November 26, how she found Mr Corner in the fetal position and screaming, Ms Brannan read his statement: “I found Sam very nervous outside, rocking back and forth outside the club. I went back outside to take a quick selfie with Dorothy, and on the way back we ordered McDonald’s.

During the interview, Mr. Powers was asked about his relationship with the police. Ms Brannan told jurors he had made numerous complaints about police officers over the past two years. Powers, 54, admitted he had a nickname for both defendants. When asked by Mrs. Brannan what it was, he replied that “GACCH; Rude, abusive, corrupt, cowardly, hyena.

Asked whether he had “come to terms” with any form of physical contact with Mr Corner and the extent of his reaction, he replied: “No, I think the police are embarrassed by it and are trying to cover it up.”

Powers admitted to becoming “angry” with the attorney’s questioning. He also admitted that he had previously been convicted of criminal damage at the time of Ms Brannan’s investigation.

When Rachael White, defending Zach Gell, questioned Mr. Powers, he claimed that police had “injected him with an unknown substance” during a separate incident since the alleged assault. Ms White said this was “thoroughly investigated and has concluded that these are false and unsubstantiated claims”. He continued to describe how he believed police broke into his home and how officers attacked him in two subsequent incidents.

Ms White told the court there were 161 logs between Mr Powers and local police, which Mr Powers said was a “paper trail” of incidents and inactivity in relation to previous complaints. After District Judge Hamilton told him to “take a breath,” he said he had been “manipulated” and only “weak witnesses” had been selected to testify. As he left the dock, he said, “Justice for Sam.”

At the conclusion of Mr Powers’ interview, Officer Tanyel Goren told Suzanne Ludlow, prosecuting, that the statement recorded in the report was the same one he had taken from Mr Powers over the telephone in October 2023. When Ms Brannan questioned him, he confirmed that he had not requested CCTV of the bar area, he checked whether there was a CCTV camera in the toilets and did not take any photos of the toilet.

When questioned by Ms Brannan, PC Goren said he was not allowing Mr Powers to make a second statement. He claims this was because he did not add appropriate information and instead used “descriptive information” and “animal metaphors” to describe the event.

PC Goren confirmed he never spoke to bar staff after taking over the case. He was then asked whether police officers should carry their ID cards when off duty. He said he was told that former Merseyside Police Chief Andy Cooke “required all his officers to carry their ID cards with them wherever they go”.

The proceedings are continuing.