A Wiltshire Police officer received a suspended jail sentence for assaulting a 13-year-old boy while on duty. PC Daniel Rusling, a response officer, admitted to one count of assault by beating related to the incident that occurred in Chippenham on October 14 last year.
During the sentencing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court, Rusling was given an eight-week prison term, suspended for 12 months, and instructed to perform unpaid work. The assault occurred outside Monkton Park police station in the early hours of October 14 after the boy, part of a group of six children, called 999 for assistance, reporting threats from individuals in a car.
Footage from a body-worn camera captured Rusling using profanity towards the boy, who was in his school uniform, and pushing him aggressively multiple times. Fortunately, the child did not sustain any injuries.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigated the case, overseeing both the criminal proceedings and the misconduct inquiry. Wiltshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Mark Cooper issued an apology to the victim, his family, the other children involved, and the wider community for the officer’s actions.
Cooper condemned Rusling’s behavior as criminal, stating that it betrayed the officer’s duty to protect a vulnerable individual and resorted to violence and offensive language to intimidate and frighten the boy. He emphasized that such actions do not represent the values of Wiltshire Police or the majority of its personnel, promising to identify and remove any individuals with similar attitudes.
Rusling is set to undergo an expedited gross misconduct hearing to address his actions.
