Alarming CCTV video shows Aussie police beating mentally ill man

  • 03/04/2018

Warning: This video contains footage which may disturb some viewers.

Disturbing footage has emerged of six Australian police officers appearing to beat, verbally abuse and pepper spray a mentally ill disability pensioner.

In the confronting clip, all caught on the CCTV camera stationed on his Melbourne house in September 2017, officers unleash a flurry of violence on the man.

The incident occurred after the man's psychologist rang police to report his worsening mental health. They were denied entry by the man, who urged them to leave - but they forced entry.

The beating occurs even though he appears co-operative and to have already been apprehended.

At one point in the video, the man is struck several times on his lower leg with a baton, even though there are already five other officers pinning him to the ground.

"You f**king idiot," another officer can be heard saying, as he appears to be punched in the back.

Later, an officer is seen unloading the insides of a can of pepper spray into his face. The man can be heard shouting about pain in his eyes and back before officers arrest him.

When he is seated on the lawn and calm, he is hosed down - a scene that is bizarrely being filmed by another officer on his cellphone.

The video footage, obtained by Australia's Fairfax Media, has attracted accusations of police brutality - and the Independent Broad-based Anti corruption Commission is now looking into it.

In a statement sent out to local media, Victoria Police said it "has no tolerance for poor behaviour within its ranks".

"Our officers make mistakes like anyone else, and when that happens, we learn from that," it read.

Newshub.