Police won't face criminal charges over the violent arrest of a Gold Coast grandfather, Queensland's corruption watchdog says.
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The Crime and Corruption Commission recommended disciplinary action against some of the officers involved in the January 2015 arrest of 51-year-old Ray Currier, his transportation to the watchhouse and "other interactions".
But on Thursday the body declared there was no prospect of a successful criminal prosecution stemming from an excessive use of force complaint filed following the arrest despite "significant" use of force.
Video footage obtained by News Corp appears to show Mr Currier, then 50, being punched in the head and knocked unconscious while being restrained by five officers outside a Gold Coast nightclub.
Police were called when Mr Currier's colleague was refused re-entry to the club.
Tensions escalated, and Mr Currier said he was trying to move his colleagues and their wives away from the area when the incident occurred.
After interviewing witnesses and examining footage from CCTV cameras, onlookers and an officer's body-worn camera, CCC chairman Allan MacSporran said no officers would be charged.
He said although the use of force as an officer and Mr Currier fell to the ground was "significant", the officer had raised a legal defence.
Mr MacSporran said "video and other evidence" showed the grandfather's arm was wrapped around the officer's arm, near his gun holster.
"The officer was of the view his firearm may have been taken from him," he said.
"This clearly raises a defence of self-defence for the police officer which the prosecution would not be able to disprove as required for a successful prosecution."
The watchdog "categorically accepts" Mr Currier had no intention of removing or using the gun but said believing, even mistakenly, that his gun could be taken was a legitimate defence.
The 51-year-old didn't complain of the incident at the time, fearing he would lose his job at the Department of Justice, but a complaint was later made in September.
The CCC investigated two interactions between Mr Currier and officers.
Mr MacSporran said the officer's actions in the first interaction didn't amount to criminal conduct, noting "police only applied force after the complainant refused to stop interfering in the other arrest despite a number of requests to move away".
He said prior to that, Mr Currier "appeared" to be attempting to move people out of the area, as the 51-year-old had said.
A CCC spokesman said the final number of police to be recommended for disciplinary action was still to be finalised.
