Policeman's son who wrestled 'flasher ' to ground is arrested over assault claim

Nathan Smith, 17, claims a half naked pervert jumped out on his 15-year-old pal Abigail Ward with his underpants wrapped around his ankles.

The music student and another friend, Jason Hughes, 15, pinned the man to the floor and made a citizen's arrest before calling the police.

Officers in Tamworth, Staffs, arrested the man on suspicion of indecent exposure and took him to the local police station for questioning.

He was released the next day without charge, however, but made a counter claim of assault against Nathan and Jason.

Nathan was arrested last week, had his finger prints taken and briefly held in a cell. He has been bailed to appear back at Tamworth police station of December 17.

Officers have now phoned Jason's father, a former policeman, and informed him that they want to speak to his son in connection with the incident.

The man the boys claim "flashed" their friend is understood to have complained about scratches and bruises he suffered after being held on the ground.

Abigail, who was 14 at the time, had been walking ahead of Nathan and Jason as they walked back from a night out in October when she said she saw a man expose himself.

Nathan, a black belt in karate, has been left baffled by his arrest.

He recalled: "When I saw that guy coming towards us I just felt angry because my friend was upset.

"What kind of a man flashes himself at a 14-year-old girl? "We held him down and called the police.

"When they arrived they bundled him into the car and told him he was under arrest for indecent exposure."

Jason now also faces a grilling from Staffordshire police.

His dad Gary, 55, who worked for the neighbouring West Midlands force for 27 years, hit out today, saying: "Jason is 15. He was so excited to have made a citizens arrest.

"Now he wishes he hadn't bothered.

"I have spent almost 27 years in the force and I'm just flabbergasted by what has happened. Sadly it's the way things are going.

"The police see something, they record it, and they deal with it. They don't look at the bigger picture.

"Of course the bloke would have been struggling because he wanted to get away. They held him to the ground so obviously he was going to get some scratches and bruises."

The father-of-two says his son, who dreamt of being a police officer, has been left confused.

He added: "He hasn't changed his mind about his career, he's just muddled up. He thought he was doing the right thing.

"Now he doesn't know what he should have done."

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "A man was taken into custody just over a month ago on suspicion of indecent exposure.

"He was apprehended by two teenage boys who called police.

"The man was held overnight and released the next morning without charge. He did, however, make a counter allegation of assault on the two lads.

"We are now investigating that counter allegation. One of them has already been arrested and released on bail and we will quiz the second at a later date."