Wiltshire sergeant to be sentenced for assaulting woman today (From This Is Wiltshire)

Wiltshire sergeant to be sentenced for assaulting woman today

7:07am Tuesday 7th September 2010 in

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A police sergeant who injured a woman when he assaulted her in a cell will be sentenced today.

Sergeant Mark Andrews was caught on CCTV dragging Pamela Somerville, 59, across the floor of Semington police station before shoving her into the cell.

Ms Somerville was arrested in July 2008 after being found asleep in her car. She was detained for failing to provide a sample for a breath test.

The CCTV footage shows her lying on the floor for a minute before struggling to get up with blood pouring from a head wound.

Former soldier Andrews was convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm after a trial at Oxford Magistrates' Court in July.

The 37-year-old was suspended on full pay after his conviction and is expected to lose his job.

Ms Somerville was taken to Royal United Hospital in Bath and needed stitches in a gash above her eye.

In a statement, Wiltshire Police's assistant chief constable Patrick Geenty said: "We are very concerned when anyone is injured in our custody and the court has decided that this injury was as a result of a criminal assault by Sgt Mark Andrews, a member of Wiltshire Police who was performing duty as a custody sergeant at the time.

"We respect the decision of the court and the force has formally apologised to the injured lady for the assault she suffered while in our care."