A New South Wales police officer has been found guilty of assaulting an Indigenous teenager during an arrest in Sydney in 2020.
Video of the incident shows Constable Ryan Barlow holding the 16-year-old's arms behind his back and using a "leg sweep" to take him to the ground.
On Monday, Magistrate Rami Attia told Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court Barlow remained in control of the teenager throughout the physical altercation, and said the boy was complying with the arrest.
Barlow pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm over the incident at Ward Park in Surry Hills, where he and two colleagues stopped a group of teenagers on June 1, 2020.
In mobile phone video and police body-worn camera footage played to the court, the teenager can be heard threatening to "crack" Barlow across the jaw while his friends were being spoken to.
During a court hearing last year, a police interview with Barlow was played in which he told colleagues the teen began to "kick back" with his right leg, leading him to fear he was about to be assaulted.
However on Monday, Magistrate Attia said the police officer's allegation the boy tried to kick him was contradicted by the videos.
He said he was satisfied the use of the "leg sweep" wasn't a reasonable amount of force, nor was it in self-defence.
During the arrest, the boy fell to the ground, landing on his hip, his shoulder and the side of his face.
"The risk of danger sought to be prevented was either minimal or non-existent at best," Magistrate Attia said.
In video of the incident played to the court, the teenager can be heard saying "you didn't have to hurt me" several times to Barlow after he was restrained.
"The complainant in the video was clearly, audibly and physically in pain," the magistrate said.
Magistrate Attia told the court while the "leg sweep" move was not part of police training, it was not prohibited.
In his police interview, the court heard, Barlow was asked if he would have done anything differently in the arrest, with the benefit of hindsight.
"No comment," he replied.
During the interview, recorded in July 2020, Barlow said he was aware of the teenager due to a previous incident in which he attempted to shoplift from a supermarket and had produced a replica firearm.
He also said he did not believe he used excessive force.
Barlow will be sentenced later this year.
