A POLICEMAN who was involved in the arrest of a man in Porthmadog which was shared widely on social media has appeared in court today (January 9).

Richard Williams, 42, of no fixed abode, is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and non-fatal strangulation.

He denied both charges at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court today, before his case was referred to the Crown Court.

Williams, who has been suspended by North Wales Police, will now appear at Caernarfon Crown Court on Monday, February 12.

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Police officer charged with assault after viral Porthmadog incident

The charges relate to force used during the arrest of a man, Steven Clark, in Pensyflog, Porthmadog on May 10, in the garden of a property.

At about 11am on May 10, two officers were sent to a reported disturbance at an address in the town.

Then, at roughly 11.50am, the officers located a man in the garden of a nearby house and arrested him.

Footage showed an officer striking a man to his head a number of times while on the ground.

The same officer used incapacitant spray towards the man as he was being placed in the rear of a police van.

While enroute to the police station, it was noticed that the man appeared to be unwell and was given first aid.

He was then taken by ambulance to hospital and was later released back into police custody.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has examined police body-worn video and phone footage of the incident, taken witness statements including from the injured man, and located relevant CCTV footage.