A POLICE officer jailed for punching a young boy in the face over a gun hoax has had his conviction for assault quashed.
PC Daniel Gaffney of Withington Close, Northwich, was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment in August after being found guilty of assaulting the 12-year-old youngster at West Didsbury police station.
The 30-year-old, an officer with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for seven years, immediately launched an appeal against the conviction and sentence.
And at Warrington Crown Court on Friday, Judge Edward Thomas Teague QC cleared his name after a two-day hearing.
Prosecutors claimed PC Gaffney lost his temper after the boy, who cannot be named, said he had a gun in his pants as he was about to be strip-searched last November.
The defendant initially said the boy fell over but the next day changed his statement claiming self-defence.
It is unclear whether PC Gaffney, who has been suspended from duty, will return to his former job but he is now a free man.
A GMP spokesman said: “Our Professional Standards branch is aware of the decision to quash PC Daniel Gaffney’s conviction for assault.
“As a result, his suspension from duty is being reviewed.
“As an internal investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”
