Police officers have been cleared of gross misconduct after driving a man who fractured his spinal cord in a fight to hospital rather than calling an ambulance.

In July of last year police were called to reports of a fight on an E17 street.

Four officers attended but decided and recorded that no action was necessary.

A second person phoned to report the men had resumed fighting after the police left.

Six officers in a police vehicle driving on that road were flagged down by a member of the public.

These officers attended and found one of the men on the floor. He told them he had been drinking but was not drunk, that he had arthritis and was in a lot of pain.

Body worn video footage showed the officers helped him to his feet, then spent approximately ten minutes speaking to the other man during which time the first man complained of pain in his neck.

The police officers requested an ambulance then subsequently cancelled it and took the man to Whipps Cross Hospital in their police vehicle. The second man was not arrested and left the scene.

The footage showed the injured was unable to remain upright after the police officers belted him into a seat in the police vehicle and was unable to walk once they arrived at hospital.

Medical records showed the man had a fracture in his spinal cord and an epidural haematoma causing paralysis.

Following a complaint from a relative of the injured man, the Met Police referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The IOPC investigation concluded that none of the officers had a case to answer in respect of misconduct or gross misconduct.

However, the independent body did identify some concerns and issued training for the officers involved.

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