A DISTRAUGHT dad spent a night in a cell on suspicion of grievous bodily harm after his son was injured on a play-ground roundabout.

Crispin Galizia, from Boscombe, was in police custody for 12 hours after taking his three-year-old son to Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

He claims that police did not believe his son's injuries were consistent with his story and says the roundabout in Boscombe is dangerous.

Mr Galizia was looking the other way when his son Benjamin injured himself in an accident in the Walpole Road play area, Boscombe, at around 5.30pm. He did not realise until later how seriously the boy was hurt and it was 10pm before he took his son to hospital, where Mr Galizia was arrested by police.

He said: "I was distraught when the X-ray came out because I didn't realise how serious the injuries were. The police said, 'You're being arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm'. They said my story didn't tally with the injuries."

Benjamin was taken by ambulance to Poole hospital without his father.

The police cells at Bournemouth were full so Mr Galizia was taken to Poole, where he was locked up until he was interviewed the following lunchtime.

He said: "They gave me a full interview on Saturday and after that they realised they were 99 per cent sure I was innocent.

"By then they had contacted the children's mother, who said I'd been a good father and never done anything whatever to harm them."

Mr Galizia is still on police bail. He said Benjamin would be in traction for six weeks and would not be back to normal for months.

A Dorset police spokes-man said: "We can never discuss any case where an investigation may be continuing."

Suspects arrested at night are usually given an eight-hour break for sleep before questioning.

Bournemouth council spokeswoman, Georgia Smith, said: "We're all concerned to hear of Benjamin's accident at Walpole Road and hope that he makes a full recovery as soon as possible. All equipment in Bournemouth's children's play areas conforms to national and European safety standards, including the speed of round-abouts.

"In addition to normal routine checks, we have since inspected the roundabout at Walpole Road and found it not to be faulty.

"We would remind parents that all children should be supervised at all times in public play areas."

First published: April 27