A POLICE SERGEANT in England has been jailed for six months for assaulting a woman in police custody.

CCTV footage from the police station shows Sgt Mark Andrews dragging 59-year-old Pamela Somerville across the floor of the station before throwing her head-first onto the floor of a cell.

Moments later, she stands up slowly and dripping blood from a head wound (WARNING: thus video contains images some may find disturbing):

Somerville, who stands 5’2”, needed stitches for a cut over her eye and was taken to hospital by ambulance from the police station.

She had been arrested after she was found sleeping in her car near her home in Wiltshire, and failed to provide a sample for a breath test.

Andrews, a former soldier, was convicted in July of assault causing actual bodily harm to Somerville and was suspended with full pay. He is now expected to lose his job.

Speaking after sentencing the officer today, Judge Peter Greenfield said:

In my view, you presided over an atmosphere of bullying and intimidation upon Ms Somerville which culminated in the cell later that morning.

The judge said he regarded Andrews’ actions as a “gross breach of trust” placed on him by Somerville, and said only a custodial sentence was appropriate.