The family of a teenager who claimed police coshed him over the head and sprayed CS in his face, today vowed to "fight for justice to the bitter end."

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was taken to hospital afterwards and had five staples put in his head wound.

His claims were made during his two-day trial for resisting arrest and causing £5,000 damage to a police car.

Southend magistrates cleared the Benfleet youngster of both charges, which he vehemently denied, and dismissed the case.

Now his family are awaiting the outcome of an official complaint against Benfleet police and have enlisted the help of Castle Point MP r Christine Butle .

During the hearing, the youngster - who was then aged 17 - claimed he had been beaten over the head by a policeman wielding a baton and that he and his 14-year-old brother were sprayed with CS.

Police, however, said the youth suffered the injury when he head-butted the back window of a police car while struggling with officers.

The court heard police were called to the youth's home on September 20 last year after a violent row between his parents and were intent on arresting his father.

Police claimed the youth went out to speak to them, but dashed back inside, shut the door, and shouted threats - which was denied by the teenager.

He said: "I didn't want to make anything worse. My dad was in a very heated state. I thought if I could buy a bit of time to calm him down, it might help."

He said that through a gap in the door, police sprayed CS at his younger brother who ran off, screaming in pain.

The youth said police broke a window near the door with a baton and then sprayed him in the face with the gas.

Police claimed he had broken the window himself. Eyes streaming, and struggling to breathe, he loosened his hold on the door and staggered outside for air.

This was when he alleged he was hit on the back of the head with a baton by Sgt Kerry Bennion, a scene the youth's father said he witnessed.

Sgt Bennion categorically denied using his baton in that way.

Handcuffed behind his back, the youth was leaned up against a police car, blood streaming from his head wound, the court heard.

Another officer PC Christopher Routs said the youth struggled constantly and finally lunged forward and smashed the back window of the car with a head butt.

However the youth said: "They kept putting me over the car to keep me down."

His head went through the window while trying to stand up to ease the pressure on his handcuffs and because he felt sick from the CS spray, he said.

He added: "They treated me more like an armed robber."

The youth's solicitor, Miss Navaz Daruwalla, said the blood-spattered house afterwards looked more like a murder scene.

After magistrates had cleared him, the youth said: "I'm relieved, and glad it's all been sorted out."

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