A police officer has denied his actions, which caused the alleged victim of a one-punch attack to fall and violently hit his head on concrete, were dangerous.
The officer, First Constable Liam Brown, told the ACT Magistrates Court last week he "raised [the alleged victim's] ankle in an attempt to make him fall on his bottom".
"Regrettably, he hit his head as a result."
The cop took the stand to give evidence during a hearing in the case of alleged attacker Jarrod Michael Dale.
Dale, 27, had previously pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.
On Wednesday, a prosecutor alleged that in April 2022, near Mooseheads in Civic, the alleged victim was punched in the face by Dale and lost consciousness for about 40 seconds.
They said he was bleeding around the mouth after suffering a split lip, swelling and bruising to the face, as well as concussion.
Special magistrate Gregor Urbas said: "There's been subsequent behaviour by a police officer that has possibly caused or exacerbated the condition the complainant found himself in."
CCTV played to the court shows police responding to the injured alleged victim, who was said to be highly intoxicated and had been out drinking with friends.
In the video, First Constable Brown can be seen getting the alleged victim, who was 19 at the time, to sit down.
When he stands up again, the officer pulls a leg out from the 19-year-old causing him to fall backwards and hit the back of his head on concrete.
The alleged victim then rolls to his side while still on the ground.
"He physically attempted to try and resist me by sitting up and I had to [use force]," First Constable Brown said.
"I do not think I was dangerous. The use of force ... was calculated in that I was balancing his safety, the safety of others.
"I don't believe it was a dangerous course of action, or at most it was the least dangerous course of action."
In response to questions from Dale's lawyer, Brandon Bodel, another police officer present on the night said it "could have been" dangerous.
"Would you have engaged in that conduct?" the lawyer asked.
"No, I don't find it necessary for me," the officer told the court.
Giving evidence, Dale raised self defence and stated he thought he was "gonna get jumped" and responded with a "get away punch".
"We thought he was going to follow us to the Uber and boom, boom, boom we had no idea what was going to happen," Dale said.
"I consider it honestly almost like a love tap."
Mr Bodel argued the court "can't prove if [the alleged victim's injuries were] caused by the Australian Federal Police or my client".
"It's an unfortunate situation where the court cannot determine the extent of the injuries ... prior to the conduct of First Constable Liam Brown," he said.
"It is something my client shouldn't be held responsible for."
The prosecutor argued Dale "did not in his intoxicated state believe at that time it was necessary to punch [the alleged victim] to defend himself".
Mr Urbas is set to hand down his decision next month.
ACT Policing was contacted but declined to comment on matters before the court.
