Three police officers have described how they hit a man at least six times with batons in a bid to arrest him.

One officer told a jury that she swung her baton at Paul Peters "like a baseball bat" and hit him as hard as she could, but with little effect.

Mr Peters and his wife, Janet, of Woodburn Close, Hadleigh, are suing Essex police for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution following an incident outside a kebab shop on Long Road, Canvey in 1996.

The officers were giving their evidence on the second day of the civil case at Southend Crown Court.

PC Laura Heggie - an officer since 1991 - said she asked Mr Peters to step out of some bushes after the incident but he swore at her.

When Mr Peters began to walk away she grabbed his arm, but he snapped his arm back and punched her in the chest, she told the court.

She said after watching Mr Peters taunt another officer, she wrestled him to the ground but he got up again.

PC Heggie said she then drew her baton and hit Mr Peters. She said: "I hit him as hard as I could. It had no effect at all."

The court heard she hit him again with her baton as if she was "swinging a baseball bat" but Mr Peters stayed on his feet.

PC Brian Treadgold - an officer for more than 20 years - described how he hit Mr Peters at least three times before he was finally wrestled to the ground by several officers.

PC Rodney Kelly also told the court how he hit Mr Peters while he was standing up.

He said: "I hit him to his right leg very hard and it didn't seem to have any effect whatsoever."

All three officers denied punching, kicking or hitting Mr Peters with batons while he lay on the floor. Paul Charnetski of Woodburn Close, Hadleigh, brother of Mrs Peters, said he left his sister and brother-in-law at the kebab shop to get a taxi.

When he came back he found officers kneeling on Mr Peters. He said: "They were just hitting him with truncheons."

Following the arrest, Mr Peters was charged with assaulting a police officer, damaging property - PC Heggie's blouse - and a public order offence, but was cleared in court of all charges.

The case continues.

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