Policeman 'thrashed baton in violent, uncontrolled and dangerous manner' before hitting student on head during London protests leaving him needing emergency surgery, tribunal hears

• Student, 29, left in 'excruciating pain' after he was hit on the head, hearing told
• Alfie Meadows told how he was hit by a police baton during student fees protest
• He told hearing that he saw an officer 'thrashing around' with weapon in 2010 
• Detective Constable Mark Alston is facing a misconduct hearing accused of using unreasonable force   

A student was left in 'excruciating pain' after he was hit on the head with a police baton during a protest, a hearing was told.

Alfie Meadows, 29, said he saw an officer 'thrashing around' with the weapon before he was struck exactly nine years ago, when he suffered a head injury requiring emergency surgery.

Then studying philosophy at Middlesex University, he was among more than 10,000 people demonstrating against student fees in London on December 9, 2010.

Detective Constable Mark Alston is facing a misconduct hearing in central London accused of using unreasonable force.

He was a Pc when he was deployed to police the protest, which saw violent clashes in and around Parliament Square.

Video footage played at the hearing is said to capture the moment Dc Alston raised his weapon in a 'violent, uncontrolled and dangerous manner' before striking Mr Meadows.

Giving evidence, Mr Meadows, who is studying for a master's degree in philosophy, said protesters used fencing to push back against officers but denied he had been aggressive in any way to police before he was hit.

'The officer was right in front of me and thrashing around with his baton,' he said.

'He hit the fence away with his baton. The fence went off to his right and he was swinging his baton from high to low above his head.

'He was right in front of me thrashing his baton around and swinging his baton towards me.'

Mr Meadows continued: 'The baton swung from high to low. It was coming straight towards my head.

'I instinctively span around because I thought I was about to be hit by the baton and as soon as I spun around I was struck by the baton.

'I was struck on the top right of my head and it was incredibly hard and painful. I saw flashing lights and it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced.'

He added: 'I put my hand to my head. I was in excruciating pain.'

Mr Meadows told a three-person panel he felt 'confused and groggy' and his condition deteriorated when he was eventually taken to hospital by ambulance.

He needed more than 100 staples in his head and was left with a large scar, but was charged with causing violent disorder and taken to court where he was cleared by a jury in 2013.

A probe by the police watchdog, now called the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), found Dc Alston had a case to answer for gross misconduct, but City of London police rejected the recommendation.

The force then failed in a court bid to challenge the IOPC's direction that he should face a full hearing.

Dc Alston is said to have wielded his 'baton in a violent, uncontrolled and dangerous manner when he used it to deliver a number of downward strikes at head height towards a group of demonstrators'.

The officer is also accused of using unreasonable force when he 'hit Alfie Meadows on the head, causing a serious head injury'.

A response to the allegations submitted on Dc Alston's behalf said: 'The officer accepts he wielded his baton, but denies that it was in a violent, uncontrolled and dangerous manner or was in any way disproportionate in light of the circumstances in which he was operating.

'The officer denies hitting Mr Meadows, or anyone, on the head with it.'

The case continues.