Senior detective tells hearing that alleged assault on police officer '˜did not occur'

PC Anthony Colson faces a misconduct hearing after it is alleged he injured himself after claiming he was attacked in a Boston car park.

The hearing has been told PC Anthony Colson pressed the emergency button on his air wave radio after attending the Beechwood car park at around 8.30pm on 18 November, 2016.

Officers found PC Colson with lacerations to his head and hand, and a craft knife nearby. It is alleged PC Colson reported that he had been assaulted and had seen a figure running off in to the woods.

The hearing was told PC Colson met with two senior police officers at Horncatle police station on 16 December to discuss the incident.

Detective Superintendent Alan Mason told the hearing that following the meeting he formed the view “the offence had not occurred” and that he would not allocate any more resources to it.

Det Supt Mason admitted PC Colson’s wife was not allowed in to the meeting because in his view it was an opportunity for the officer to tell the truth in privacy.

When questioned by PC Colson’s lawyer, Guy Ladenburg, Det Supt Mason added: “He (PC Colson) cried when he was talking to me, to me that was surrounding him being challenged about his story.”

Det Supt Mason admitted the fact that PC Colson could face possible criminal charges was low on his agenda during the meeting.

He told the hearing: “My mindset was to establish the truth about what happened that night.”

When asked by Mr Ladenburg if PC Colson was pressurised Det Supt Mason replied: “Absolutely not.”

The hearing has been told a doctor who examined PC Colson’s injuries formed the opinion that they were self inflicted.

PC Colson, who had served nearly 14 years with Lincolnshire Police at the time of the incident, is accused of breaching professional standards by making several statements he knew or believed to be false. He denies five allegations.

The allegations centre on communications between November 18 and December 16, 2016, in which PC Colson pressed the emergency button on his air wave radio and then repeated that he had been assaulted.

The hearing continues.