A man was left bruised and feeling like he had been "hit by a car" after being handcuffed, knocked to the ground and "assaulted" by a policeman, a court has heard.

Jermaine Bennett, who was on his way home after celebrating his birthday, was detained by Scotland Yard officer Dave Mattock in the early hours of June 3, 2016, Kingston Crown Court was told.

Mattock, 33, is on trial accused of misconduct in public office and attempting to pervert the course of justice over the incident in Spalding Road, Tooting.

He allegedly arrested Mr Bennett after releasing him following a drug search because Mr Bennett said he would make a formal complaint of unreasonable force.

Mattock is also accused of signing a witness statement falsely alleging Mr Bennett obstructed him while resisting arrest, and giving evidence which he knew to be false during Mr Bennett's trial at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court.

He denies the charges.

Prosecutor Jane Osborne said Mattock had "abused the power that he has been given as a police officer by deliberately mistreating and manhandling" Mr Bennett, who had "done nothing wrong".

She added: "If it hadn't been for the indication by Jermaine Bennett on that day that he would make a complaint, Jermaine Bennett would not have been arrested at all."

Mr Bennett, 34, told the court a friend was giving him a lift home and he was sitting in the parked car close to his house before police approached for a drug search.

He said he was patted down by a female officer before "the officer that assaulted me drove up in a marked police car" and "came straight toward me and just grabbed me".

Mr Bennett told the court: "I think he put the cuffs on pretty much straight away.

"He seemed very angry, he seemed like he was mad at something. All his attention was just directed toward me.

"I was nervous, I wanted to get home to be honest. I was five minutes from my house, it was my birthday. I didn't want any problems, I just wanted to go home."

With his hands handcuffed behind his back, Mr Bennett said, he reached for his phone to try to record the incident, which Mattock twice tried to snatch unsuccessfully.

He went on: "That's when he really got annoyed, then I ended up on the floor."

Ms Osborne said: "How did you get on to the floor?"

Mr Bennett replied: "He basically sweeped my legs. I landed face down and was still handcuffed.

"When he had me on the floor, it felt like elbow blows and him using his knee to jab me with his knee around my back area.

"It felt like I got hit by a car or something. It was just aches and pains. A lot of my body was bruised and swollen and everything."

After Mattock removed the handcuffs and told him he was free to go, Mr Bennett said he refused.

He went on: "I was so annoyed this could happen for no reason. I said, 'You're going to hear about this, I'm going to make a complaint against you'.

"That's when he goes, 'Right, you're coming with me, you're under arrest for obstruction', arrested me, charged me and sent me to court."

Ms Osborne added that the arrest was made so that "any complaint to be made against him (Mattock) would be either forgotten, or if made, would be thought to be as a result of bitterness because of the arrest."

Neil Saunders, defending Mattock, said police had approached the vehicle owing to a "strong smell of cannabis" with some of the class B drug later found in the vehicle.

He said: "You locked it deliberately when you saw them coming then opened it later, that's what I suggest to you."

Mr Bennett replied: "That's not true."

Mattock, who has been placed on restricted duties by the Metropolitan Police, watched the proceedings from the dock wearing a blue suit and spectacles.

The trial continues before Judge Sarah Plaschkes QC.