Shocking footage has emerged showing a policeman viciously punching a suspect dozens of times.
The clip shows one female and two male officers restraining boxer Adam Salmon, 27, on the ground in a residential area in Morden, south London.
Police said the suspect had been found to be in possession of cocaine and was violently resisting arrest at the time.
The footage, which was filmed in July, was uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday with the caption ‘Police officer loses his temper’ and has since received more than 2,000 views.
The police officer throws a barrage of punches at the suspect being restrained on the ground
It begins with three officers on top of Salman, who appeared to be trying to swallow the cocaine bags at the time.
The suspect can be seen bucking his body and kicking his legs as the officers struggle to keep him on the ground.
Suddenly, one officer begins punching him rapidly and with considerable force in the back.
Salman was charged with possession of cocaine and three counts of resisting and obstructing a police constable following the incident.
He served six weeks in prison after being sentenced at South West London Magistrates Court.
A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: “Salman ran from police and was seen attempting to conceal an item.
‘Following a short foot chase, he was stopped and officers attempted to detain him.
The horrifying clip begins with three officers on top of the unidentified man that they are restraining
‘As he violently resisted arrest, officers witnessed him attempt to swallow bags of white powder, which following examination, was found to be cocaine.
‘He was arrested and taken to a south London police station before being released under investigation. He was charged the following month.’
When asked about the officer’s conduct in the video the spokesman refused to comment.
In June this year, similar footage emerged showing police officers punching a man in the face as he was pinned down by three officers.
The uniformed officers, from Avon and Somerset Police, pinned the man to the ground as he lay on his back in Yeovil, Somerset.
In the footage the police leant on the man’s chest as they appeared to be handcuffing him and then punch him directly in the face.
And in July 2016 police officers in Leicester were filmed punching and pepper spraying a suspect.
Three officers wrestled the man, punching him in the back and torso, as they wrestled him to the ground in front of stunned shoppers.