A Plymouth man says he heard snoring at about 6am on Sunday, 1 November, and went into the lounge, where he found a stranger asleep on the sofa in his top-floor flat in Stonehouse.
The resident said he woke the man and repeatedly asked him to leave. He alleges the man then threw the first punch, leaving him with a bleeding nose and bruises. He said his wife called 999 and tried to pull the man away from him. During the struggle, he alleges, the man also swung a punch at his wife.
The resident said the fight lasted about 15 minutes, until police arrived. Officers arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Devon and Cornwall Police said the arrested man would face no further police action because of a lack of independent evidence. The force said the matter could be revisited if further evidence comes to light.
The resident said officers took his contact details and photographed his injuries. He said he later gave a statement over the phone and was told that evening that the man would face no further action.
He also said an officer told him there were no “unbiased witnesses” and described the incident as a “he said, she said” situation. He questions how his wife’s account was assessed, as she was present and had called 999.
The incident has left his wife feeling unsafe at home, he said. He returned from work early the following day and took time off to add security to the property and support her. The resident also said a necklace given to him by his late mother was broken during the struggle.
He has made a complaint about the police response and communication following the incident and is seeking a review of the decision.
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post