A Southampton man says he is planning to make a formal complaint of Police brutality after claiming officers were heavy handed when they arrested him in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Albert Santucci said he offered no resistance yet he was thrown to the ground when a group of ten officers came to arrest him, one of whom, he alleges, stood on his face.

And he said Police told him the arrest was for a non-appearance in court on November 7, yet he says he did attend. Police later told him at Hamilton Police Station that the arrest was over an unpaid hospital bill, he claimed.

But Police said last night that the arrest passed without incident and that Mr. Santucci should make a complaint if he feels his rights have been violated.

Mr. Santucci said his wife was told to shut up when she asked what was going on during the 5.45 a.m. arrest and that he was bundled out in his underwear and not allowed to dress.

He said he is undergoing treatment for drug addiction and is trying to turn his life around, and is shocked at the way he was treated.

He claimed he did turn up at court on November 7 on a charge of receiving stolen goods and was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty.

He told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "I just can't believe it happened to me.They banged loudly on the door and I went to release it but the door flew open and they rushed into the house and grabbed my neck.

"I had my arms up but they grabbed my arms and wrestled me to the floor and bashed up my knee. Once cop got a foot on my face on the floor.

"It was excessive force. They slammed my face into the carpet and my wife was asking what was happening and she was told to shut up. I was carried out in my underwear and wasn't even allowed to dress. An officer followed me with my clothes.

"Even if I hadn't appeared in court on that date, which I did, you don't need to use all that excessive force. I said to the sergeant at Hamilton Police 'was that really necessary?' I can understand it if I was abusive and violently resisting arrest.

"I feel very, very hurt. I am a person going through rehabilitation and trying to turn my life around and they have treated me like this. At least they could have let me put on my clothes.

"An officer at the station said 'you can't let that go, you have to make a formal complaint in writing'."

Mr. Santucci, who said he now works at the Fairmont Southampton Princess, said he does have an outstanding bill for $2,000 for medical expenses, which he informed his addiction counsellor about, but says the counsellor told him not to worry about it now because he was receiving treatment and not working at the time.

Police said yesterday: "Bermuda Police Service assisted the bailiffs in the execution of a civil warrant at 24 Fork Lane, Southampton at 5.45 a.m.

"The arrest was routine with the party being taken into custody without incident. At this time BPS has no record of an official complaint from Mr. Santucci.

"However, if he feels that his rights have been violated, we would invite him to make a formal complaint at any Police station and it will be investigated."