Former PC sentenced for on-duty assault of woman

A former West Midlands Police officer has been given a community order after being convicted of assaulting a woman during an arrest.

Calum Brand, who was a PC, pulled the woman's hair, pinned her down and elbowed her in the face during a struggle in a communal stairwell at a property in Halesowen, Dudley, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.

The 27-year-old had denied assault by beating but was convicted at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on 15 July.

He was sentenced at the same court on Monday and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

A separate disciplinary hearing, held by the West Midlands force on 2 September, found his actions had amounted to gross misconduct.

The force said he would have been dismissed without notice had he not already resigned.

Brand has also been placed on the barred list, meaning he cannot work in policing in the future.

The incident happened on 16 June 2025, when Brand was one of four officers called to flats.

Officers had gone to the address after reports of a domestic disturbance.

Checks found that a man at the property was wanted on a warrant for failing to attend court.

He was restrained and escorted from the flat into a communal stairwell.

According to the IOPC, police body-worn video showed a woman approaching Brand from behind before he grabbed her by the hair, pinned her down by the neck and elbowed her to the side of the head.

She suffered facial injuries but was not seriously hurt, the IOPC said.

Brand told investigators the woman had struck him in the back and that he feared she might have a weapon.

He said he had used what he believed was appropriate and proportionate force.

The woman was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer but was later released without charge.

The IOPC launched an investigation after receiving a mandatory conduct referral from West Midlands Police on 4 July 2025.

Investigators examined body-worn video, took statements from officers, interviewed Brand and reviewed relevant police training, policies and guidance.

The evidence was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service in November, which authorised a charge of assault by beating.

IOPC director of engagement Derrick Campbell said the incident at the flats had been a "challenging situation" for officers, but described Brand's response as "disproportionate and unnecessary".

He said there had been "no justification for the level of force" used and that the woman had not posed a genuine threat to the officer.

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