A man arrested during an anti-fracking protest plans to sue Greater Manchester Police - claiming video footage shows an officer lying to detain him on 'trumped-up' charges.

Dr Steven Peers, who was filming the demonstration at Barton Moss in Salford, was arrested for refusing a breath test after the policeman accused him of driving to the site drunk.

He was later charged by GMP but the case fell apart at court when prosecutors offered no evidence.

Watch the clip here (full clip lower down the article)

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A video that Dr Peers took of his arrest appears to show him being pushed to the floor by one officer as he films a protester being detained.

A second policeman, Sgt David Kehoe, then attempts to lead Dr Peers away from the scene on Barton Moss Road before accusing him of drinking and driving to the protest site.

Dr Peers denies he has drunk alcohol, saying: "No I've not. I've had tea."

But moments later, as more officers gather round, Sgt Kehoe says: "You've had a drink this morning. Where's your car...You've just said to me you've had two drinks."

The policeman then asks two other officers to breathalyse Dr Peers, who refuses to consent to the test, saying he is a pedestrian on a public footpath.

Father-of-four Dr Peers was then arrested and charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath but the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was insufficient evidence for a conviction so withdrew the case at the first hearing at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court.

Watch the full video as it was uploaded to YouTube by the protesters here.

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Dr Peers, an electrical engineer with a doctorate in metaphysical sciences, told the M.E.N. he now plans to bring a civil claim against GMP for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and assault.

The 46-year-old, who lives in New Moston, has made a formal complaint to GMP about the incident and the force's professional standards branch is now investigating.

Dr Peers said: "It was a ridiculous, trumped-up charge. He wanted me arrested to take my video camera away.

"He told blatant lies. He was perverting the course of justice.

"I was shocked that he would do that on camera.

"When officers go well beyond the course of their duties and fabricate evidence, they should be removed. You've got to have some standards in the police."

Campaigners have been camping out at Barton Moss for the past three months, protesting against drilling being carried out by iGas to explore the potential reserves of shale gas below the surface of the earth.

Dr Peers, who said he is not an anti-fracking protester but goes to the site to document the demonstration, told us he had not drunk alcohol on the morning he was arrested - January 14 - and added he had not arrived at 'Camp Barton' in his car as he had stayed there the previous night.

His video of the arrest has had more than 100,000 views on YouTube since it was posted five days ago.

A GMP spokeswoman said: "Greater Manchester Police have received a complaint about this video which officers from the Professional Standards Branch are investigating."

Last week we reported how more than 100 people had been arrested during the protests - with more arrests being made on a daily basis.

It is understood police believe many people are arriving at the site from outside of Greater Manchester not to protest against fracking but to antagonise officers.

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