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A traffic policeman who smashed a pensioner's car with his truncheon became a "pariah" after a video of the incident was posted on YouTube, a tribunal heard.

Pc Mike Baillon, 42, quit his job after becoming the butt of jokes from fellow officers over the CCTV of him battering the Range Rover of the 74-year-old driver.

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The video of Pc Baillon wielding his truncheon became a YouTube sensation and was viewed online more than 30 million times.

He is suing police chiefs for constructive dismissal after being relieved of carrying out frontline duties.

He is also claiming damages for allegedly being bullied by fellow officers.

Pc Baillon was one of two police officers chasing disabled pensioner Robert Whatley as he drove along country roads without a seatbelt near Usk, South Wales.

Stroke victim Mr Whatley was pulled over in his black Range Rover - and expected the officers to gently knock on his window.

But instead Pc Baillon attacked his window with a baton 15 times while his colleague climbed onto the bonnet and kicked in the windscreen.

The two officers were later cleared of misconduct after an internal investigation but PC Baillon was later removed from front line duties.

Mr Whatley won a £20,000 payout from the police over the damage caused to his Range Rover.

He was later ordered to pay £235 after being found guilty of speeding and failing to stop for police.

A lawyer acting for Gwent Police told the tribunal Pc Baillon was removed from his job as a traffic officer because of the risks he posed because of his mental state.

He told the tribunal: "It was a decision which related to his condition - his inability to get over the Whatley incident which was the trigger in the case.

"He was unable to get over the issue or move on. The Whatley scenario was clearly impacting on him."

But Mr Baillon's lawyer Nick Smith denied he was obsessed with the Whatley case,

He said: "The reason for him resigning from the force was that he was removed as a traffic officer, a job he loved and one in which he was a credit to the force.

"He was not obsessed with the Whatley incident, he had no problem with it and regarded Mr Whatley as a chancer and criminal.

"He joined the force to deal with the Whatleys of this world."

Father-of-two Mr Baillon was a traffic cop for 11 years after joining the Gwent force five years earlier.

Mr Smith told the tribunal: "After the Whatley incident he was a pariah - he had the mickey taken out of him week in and week out by colleagues.

"He asked senior officers for weeks to do something about it .

"But nothing was done by senior officers to protect him and he was hung out to dry because of the adverse publicity and they were determined to protect the name of Gwent Police.

"Senior officers would rather back a criminal than their own officer and when he approached a senior officer about it he was told to shut up and not bring it up again.

"Video footage was released and no attempt was made to protect Mr Baillon and his young son saw it on TV.

"He had the audacity to criticise senior officers and there was an agenda to remove him from the job he loved.

"He was treated with brutality and he is accusing senior officers of a dereliction of duty."

Mr Smith added: "He is accusing the former Chief Constable, the Deputy Chief Constable and the current Chief Constable of a fundamental failure of trust and confidence in him.

"It amounted to a breach of trust and confidence and a failure to investigate his grievances and there was also bullying by a senior officer."

Tribunal chairman Roger Harper reserved judgement on the case to a later date.