West Midlands police inspector admits gross misconduct in detention of teenager

Matthew Downs alleged to have used gratuitous force against 17-year-old inside custody suite

A police inspector who used unnecessary force against a teenage detainee and mocked him for crying in custody has admitted gross misconduct.

Matthew Downs, an inspector with West Midlands police, also turned a cell light off when the 17-year-old detainee said he was scared of the dark, a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday heard.