Four PSNI officers on trial over alleged affray in kebab shop

Four PSNI officers have gone on trial accused of affray after a fight in a kebab shop.

The officers, three men and one woman, who were off duty at the time, deny the charges.

Dean McCallum, 37, Mark Fullam, 29, Victoria Bell, 39, and Taylor Annett, 25, all with addresses given as PSNI Brooklyn in Knock, Belfast, appeared before Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday.

They are accused of being involved in a fight which happened in Belfast city centre late on a Saturday night in January 2022.

The prosecution barrister said the court would see footage from inside the City Kitchen, CCTV from the street outside and body worn camera footage taken by the police officers who attended the scene.

Giving evidence, Gerry McCullough, a witness, told the court he had been out for the night with his partner and friends when he stopped at the kebab shop on his way home.

He said he was "not overly drunk but drunk enough".

Mr McCullough told the court he heard a group of people - including the four accused - sitting at a table "laughing and having a go" at a man on a different table.

"They were teasing him, taking the mick out of him," Mr McCullough told the court.

He said he told the group to leave the man alone and a confrontation ensued.

"I remember backing into a corner and three standing over me. I tried to get out of the situation and a fight broke out.

"I just remember being punched in the ribs and head and then being put on the ground and being headlocked."

The fight was broken up and police were called to the scene. Mr McCullough said he was left with injuries including cuts and bruises, and broken ribs.

A defence barrister said there was nothing in Mr McCullough's medical notes about broken ribs.

He accused Mr McCullough of "deliberately over-egging" his injuries, which the witness denied.

The CCTV, which contained no audio, was then played to the jury.

The fight lasted around 12 minutes and showed the witness, and all four accused, involved in the altercation at one point or another.

The defence barrister put it to Mr McCullough that he had started the fight when the footage showed him throwing punches and repeatedly headbutting one of the officers.

"Your behaviour at this stage is vicious, on reflection would you agree with me?" the lawyer said.

The witness said he had been backed into a corner by the officers.

The defence barrister added: "I suggest to you that any force used by any of those defendants present was absolutely necessary to deal with you who was acting like a bull in a china shop.''

"Do you not agree that all this could have been avoided had you taken your food and left? This was all down to you?''

The witness replied: "I disagree.''

The trial continues.