Met commander Ali Dizaei jury retires
The jury in the trial of a Met commander accused of misconduct in a public office and perverting the course of justice has retired to consider its verdicts.
Ali Dizaei denies falsely arresting and assaulting a businessman after a row.
Southwark Crown Court has been told his actions amounted to "wholesale abuse of power by a senior officer".
Mr Dizaei, 49, claims he suffered a "torrent of abuse" from Waad Al-Baghdadi and felt threatened.
Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said: "He was, in fact, pursuing a citizen for his own personal motive."
The court has been told Mr Dizaei, of Acton, west London, inflicted injuries on himself as part of a web of lies following the altercation in Kensington in July 2008.
Jurors have been played a 999 call Mr Al-Baghdadi made during the confrontation.
'Dishonest and devious'
Mr Al-Baghdadi was heard by the operator saying "No, no, no" before Dizaei said to him "I am arresting you".
Mr Dizaei also made an emergency call, saying "I have made an arrest, I need urgent assistance".
Two police cars arrived within minutes and the officers found Mr Dizaei in full uniform.
He was described by them as "calm", while Mr Al-Baghdadi "looked similar but perhaps confused", Mr Wright said.
Stephen Riordan QC, defending, accused Mr Al-Baghdadi of being dishonest and devious.
Jurors were told he had used false documents to enter Britain in 2003.
Mr Al-Baghdadi had wrongly stated that he was born in Baghdad in 1985 and was fleeing the country to avoid persecution, Mr Riordan told the court.
At the start of the trial four weeks ago, the jury was told the case was a retrial, but was urged to ignore anything they might hear outside court about Mr Dizaei.