I think this is an argument for coppers doing things properly.
I can see how being called to "... woman screaming at man... " and being confronted by a scratched-faced man may lead to conclusions. However, thinking logically and being polite could have led to a little more conversation and "promise not to wake her if she looks OK".
If he had beaten his wife but the only proof was a drunken, angry woman and a coule of WPCs whose objectivity had been called into question I bet he'd have gotten away with it.
Annoying, arogant drunken tossers* are not paid to act logically and in a detached manner -- law enforcement people are.
*Which the OP may or may not have been -- I wasn't there.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Wed 11 May 2011, 17:57, 1 reply)

To be fair
when they first arrived, I was polite and respectful. It was only when she became abusive after mis-recognising me that I perhaps became an arrogant, annoying tosser. I'm told that even when slaughtered, I look and sound almost sober.
(dchurch bah, Wed 11 May 2011, 19:02, closed)

I'm in no way blaming you.
As I mentioned, you're not paid to be sensible or coherent. If you're on your own property and not harming anyone else (they did need to see your wife) the police should have fucked off.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Wed 11 May 2011, 20:50, closed)