Jailed PC facing another assault trial next year is found dead three days after Christmas

A POLICE officer facing another assault trial after being jailed for assaulting two members of the public including a boy, 15, during the first coronavirus lockdown has been found dead.

Declan Jones is reported to have been discovered dead at an address in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, on Tuesday, December 28.

It is understood he had been released from prison around three months into a six-month sentence imposed in August at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: “On December 28, officers were called to an address in Bromsgrove following reports of concern for the welfare of a man in his 30s.

“Sadly, the man was pronounced dead at around 12.45pm.

“We don’t believe there to be any third party involvement in the death and a report will be prepared for the coroner.”

A spokesman for the Independent Office for Police Conduct said: “We have been made aware of the death of a former West Midlands Police officer and our thoughts are with all of those affected at this very difficult time.

“As such it would be inappropriate to say anything further at this stage.”

Jones was sacked from West Midlands Police in September after being convicted at trial over the attacks in Birmingham.

On April 20, 2020, he was filmed kneeing, punching and pepper-spraying a man in Aston.

The next day he was filmed as he kicked and punched the boy he had wrongly accused of possessing drugs in Newtown.

Passing sentence, District Judge Shamim Qureshi said: “What we have here in this case is not simply an isolated incident.

“It was a difficult situation for the whole country, the first lockdown that this country has ever seen. The streets were pretty well deserted… there were not many people around to witness what was going on.

“I would be failing in my public duty to suspend your sentence.”

Jones was due to go on trial next year accused of causing actual bodily harm during an incident involving a Taser on February 27 2020 while on duty in Handsworth, Birmingham.