A FAIR COP
The true story a policeman’s wrongful conviction and his struggle for survival in prison.
THE STORY
At just before midnight on 24 August 1997, 23 year-old PC 451 Michael Bunting of West Yorkshire Police was sent to a violent incident at 56 Harold Terrace, Burley Leeds.
In an unprovoked and sustained attack, Michael was seriously injured by Adrian Colin Linley, a man known to the police and who was heavily intoxicated.
He was later compensated for a broken tooth sustained in the assault and was unable to return to work because of an injury to his left eye in which it was initially thought he had suffered a permanent partial loss of vision.
Linley was subsequently interviewed for the offence against Michael and apologised to the “officer that got it” in a full and frank admission to the assault. He received community service.
In a macabre twist, two years later Michael stood trial and Leeds Crown Court charged with assaulting Linley during the arrest.
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, he was found guilty of common assault and was sent to prison where he found himself living his devastated life amongst the criminals he had previously sought to keep off the streets.
THE BOOK
THE AUTHOR
Born in 1973, Michael Bunting was raised in West Yorkshire by his mother, a school teacher, and his father, a police officer. From a very early age Michael showed a keen interest in his dad’s career and set his heart on following in his footsteps and becoming a policeman.
