It was at the beginning of December 2019 that the incident took place in the Skiftinge district in Esklistuna.
According to the district court's verdict, it was a knife-wielding man who behaved violently in an intervention, was overpowered by two police officers and handcuffed.
The man continued to resist and instead of lying over him with his body weight, the accused police chose to "use snow as a distraction to try to break the spiral of violence", as stated in the verdict.
Here, the handcuffed man received snow inside the shirt and in the face, whereupon he was dragged to a police car about 30 meters away.
The snow is considered justified
The policeman was charged with harassment, misconduct and assault, but he is now acquitted on all counts.
The district court writes in the judgment that it took into account that the arrest needed to go quickly because it all took place in a "so-called vulnerable area", that the person was very violent and that he was alone at the scene as an experienced police officer.
The district court further writes in the judgment that the use of snow "is hardly an ordinary police coercive measure".
But that the given situation may be considered justified.
"A difficult task"
The man who was dragged in the snow has not been questioned and did not come to the trial.
It may have affected the district court's assessment, prosecutor Dennis Rasmusson says.
- I have only read the verdict once, but in light of the fact that the plaintiff did not come to the hearing, I have some understanding of the verdict, he says.
It is unclear whether the verdict will be appealed.
- I have to read the verdict again and consult with colleagues first.
It is a difficult task to sit with the rulebook afterwards and point to a case like this, says Dennis Rasmusson.