A DOMESTIC argument which involved police when it got out of hand has left a Lydney man with CS gas burns which he claims have scarred him for life.

Denis Holmes, 30, of Manor Road, told the Review that a family argument blew up after relatives from Manchester arrived and everybody had quite a bit to drink.

Legitimate

He says the use of gas under the circumstances was "quite out of order" and it had badly affected his asthmatic wife and children as young as three who were staying in his house at the time.

However the police say the use of gas is legitimate when officers or the public are threatened with violence.

"I had gone to bed. But apparently as the row went on one of my neighbours appeared and asked everyone to quieten down," Mr Holmes said.

Woken

"I was woken by this but only partly awake, and I came downstairs to find my brother in law attacking the female neighbour. I went for him – I didn't really know what was going on, but I didn't think much of him attacking my neighbour.

"Six policemen arrived. It was very heavy-handed for the circumstances and I couldn't believe it when they used gas. I was arrested and then they handcuffed me very tightly. I have sores on my wrists where they dragged me by the handcuffs to the gate.

"By then the house was full of choking gas. My wife, Sue, who has a bad chest, was really badly affected and all the children were coughing. It was frightening for everyone."

Mr Holmes said his brother in law had been advised to press charges against him but he wouldn't, even though his nose had been broken in the scrap. The affair had since been cleared up and everyone was now friends.

Talking

"We are all talking to each other again. But these blisters came up and still keep coming up where the gas went on my neck, like a burn. They are very painful and full of water. And they keep appearing, it's not healing.

"The nurses at the hospital thought they were very nasty. Lots of people have said I should get photographs of them to show how bad they are."

Warning

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire police said: "CS spray can be used in any incident where officers need to defend themselves or members of the public when dealing with a violent offender.

"Officers always warn the subject they are going to be sprayed, and they are trained to advise the person afterwards of what they should do until the symptoms pass and they are monitored during that time."