North Wales Police Officer PC Richard Williams Faces Disciplinary Hearing Over Use of Force During Arrest

A North Wales police constable has appeared before a formal disciplinary tribunal facing allegations that he repeatedly deployed unreasonable and excessive physical force while detaining a suspect. PC Richard Williams is facing a police misconduct hearing after being recorded placing a man in a restrictive neck hold and delivering nine rapid punches to the suspect's face and head during a struggle.

The internal proceedings, convened at the North Wales Police headquarters located in Colwyn Bay, focus on eight separate disciplinary allegations stemming from the May 2023 arrest of Steven Clark. According to the evidence presented to the disciplinary panel, the tactics and physical force used by Williams throughout the apprehension were disproportionate and represented multiple breaches of professional standards.

The incident originated when police officers were dispatched to a residential location in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, following reports regarding an active domestic argument. Upon arriving at the scene to investigate the disturbance, responding officers were met by a woman who provided specific details regarding Clark's behavior and mental state.

The woman informed the attending officers that Clark, who was 34 years old at the time of the altercation, was heavily intoxicated and "off his head on wacky backy," while further indicating that he might also have consumed other illicit substances. Based on the unfolding domestic complaint, officers attempted to apprehend Clark, leading to a physical confrontation that rapidly escalated.

During the attempted detention, the situation reportedly took a sudden turn, culminating in the suspect ending up on the ground. The disciplinary hearing heard that as the struggle developed on the pavement, the physical maneuvers employed by PC Williams went beyond what was necessary to secure the suspect under the circumstances.

Among the formal misconduct charges, it is alleged that Williams deliberately used a pair of handcuffs to inflict pain on Clark's wrist. The panel was told that the detainee visibly winced and reacted in physical distress as the pressure was applied to his wrist while officers attempted to control him on the ground.

The hearing was also presented with evidence regarding the physical restraint techniques applied around Clark's neck. Williams was filmed placing Clark into a tight headlock, described as a "choker," in which the officer gripped the suspect's neck with one arm while simultaneously using his other arm and hand to administer physical strikes.

The tribunal heard that the restrictive headlock severely hindered Clark's ability to breathe during the encounter. In statements and subsequent police interviews, Clark maintained that he could not breathe while being restrained in the neck hold and indicated that he felt as though he was losing consciousness during the arrest.

The panel was told that Williams then proceeded to deliver nine consecutive punches directly to Clark's head and face. Presenting the misconduct allegations, it was argued that landing nine quick punches with no pause for reflection or reassessment constituted an unjustified, unreasonable, and disproportionate escalation of physical violence against the suspect.

In addition to the physical strikes, wrist pain compliance, and headlock, four of the eight allegations before the panel specifically relate to the officer's use, or apparent use, of incapacitant spray during the struggle. Internal investigators maintain that the chemical spray was employed inappropriately throughout the attempt to subdue Clark.

The series of allegations extends to the manner in which the suspect was eventually loaded into police transport after the struggle on the ground subsided. Williams is accused of having thrown or dropped Clark into the rear compartment of a police van as the suspect continued to resist the ongoing detention.

To support the disciplinary charges, the misconduct hearing was shown extensive video evidence documenting the sequence of events. Panel members reviewed multiple video clips gathered from police body-worn cameras alongside independent mobile phone recordings captured by civilian onlookers who observed the altercation in Porthmadog.

PC Williams has formally denied all allegations of misconduct, maintaining that his actions were justified given the volatile and resistant behavior displayed during the apprehension. The officer was previously tried in a criminal court in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, in 2025, where he was cleared of criminal charges of assault and intentional strangulation following a seven-day jury trial.

Despite Williams' prior criminal acquittal, disciplinary representatives argue that the eight specific allegations collectively demonstrate an unreasonable and improper use of force under police professional conduct regulations. Following the presentation of opening evidence and video footage at the Colwyn Bay headquarters, the misconduct hearing was adjourned to continue on Tuesday.