Five Toronto police officers should be charged with using unnecessary force against protester Adam Nobody during the G20 summit 19 months ago, an independent police review says.

The 174-page report by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) is based on interviews with a dozen police witnesses, the five officers involved, five civilian witnesses and Nobody himself.

The allegation that Consts. Michael Adams, Babak Andalib-Goortani, Geoffrey Fardell, David Donaldson and Oliver Simpson used unnecessary force “is substantiated and is of a serious nature,” the report says.

It’s the first time that several of the officers involved in the high-profile Nobody case have been named.

When cases are deemed “serious” by the OIPRD, which probes matters of police misconduct, legislation requires the chief of police to charge the officers under the Police Services Act and order a disciplinary hearing. A hearing officer, like a judge, considers whether there’s merit to the evidence.

Penalties for officers facing misconduct range from reprimand to dismissal.

Police spokesman Mark Pugash confirmed Friday that police received a copy of the report. “We don’t discuss the conduct of internal investigations, but we work very closely and very effectively with the OIPRD,” he said, adding they just received the report and there are as yet no notices of hearing.

Usually, charges must be laid within six months of the incident. In this case, the police services board would have to approve an extension before officers can be charged and a hearing ordered.

Nobody suffered a broken nose and right cheekbone in the takedown at Queen’s Park on June 26, 2010.

An earlier probe by the Special Investigations Unit resulted in a charge of assault with a weapon against Andalib-Goortani.

When asked Friday whether the OIPRD’s report could prompt the police watchdog to reopen Nobody’s case for a third time, SIU spokeswoman Monica Hudon said it is currently being reviewed.

“It fills me with confidence again in the system,” said Nobody, referring to many of the report’s conclusions. He added there was also some “not great news.”

The OIPRD report describes police facing a “sea of black” coming toward them with bottles they suspected were filled with feces or urine. Reports of swarming anarchist Black Bloc demonstrators, who had earlier damaged buildings and torched police cars, jacked up tensions, the report said.

Other charges against the officers did not stand up, the police review body said. Accusations by Nobody of a second assault, where he was allegedly taken behind a police van and repeatedly kicked, were dismissed.

“Those were the guys who really, really upset me,” said the 28-year-old stage builder.

The report also declared there was reasonable cause to arrest Nobody, who it said threatened to kick in the heads of police officers and was carrying a water bottle that could be considered a potential weapon.

“I’m not a violent person . . . I don’t kick people’s heads in nor do I threaten to kick people’s heads in,” he said, adding the bottle was filled with whisky and water.

The report also revealed that one of the officers, Const. Michael Adams, had been involved seven weeks before the summit in another Toronto incident. Junior Manon, 18, died after he tried to escape police at a traffic stop and was taken to the ground.

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The SIUcleared Adams of misconduct in Manon’s death. A coroner’s inquest is still investigating that incident.

The OIPRD report exonerated Sgt. Lynn Hughes and Const. Daniel Lowe of charges of using unreasonable force and acting in a disorderly manner.

With files from Curtis Rush

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