Hull police sergeant charged with assault

A Hull police sergeant and 19-year veteran of the department is charged with assaulting an older neighbor in Pembroke.

Scott Saunders, 46, was off duty near his home in Pembroke when the assault took place. He was walking down the road near a beach, carrying a paddle board, when he pushed to the ground and punched his neighbor, Harry Horsley, for allegedly driving too close to him, according to court records.

Both men said Saunders struck Horsley's car roof with the paddle board, the report states. Saunders admitted he punched Horsley, who is over 60 years old, according to the records.

The alleged assault on July 24 left Horsley bloodied and bruised. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Pembroke police reviewed Saunders' own home security footage and wrote that Horsley seemed to give Saunders plenty of space on the road and didn't appear to raise his hands toward Saunders before he was punched.

Saunders was arrested and released the same day, and ordered to stay away from the victim. Hull police put Saunders on leave, took his badge and gun and have launched an internal affairs investigation.

Reached Thursday for comment, Saunders said it's "not the time," and declined to be interviewed. He's due back in court next month for a pretrial hearing.