A convicted drug dealer is suing South Australia Police, claiming officers left him vision-impaired in one eye when they allegedly assaulted him multiple times during an arrest.

Rhys Aaron Johns, 32, filed a statement of claim with the South Australian District Court seeking compensation of $500,000 over the arrest at his home in Parafield Gardens in January 2021.

Johns alleged in court documents he was assaulted a total of 19 times, despite not resisting arrest or posing any threat to police, who were searching his home for drugs.

He alleged officers punched him several times in the face and pepper sprayed him while he was laying on the ground.

Johns claimed police did not inform him that he was under arrest or charged with any crime before the alleged assaults.

His lawyer, Andrew Carpenter of Webster lawyers, said CCTV from John’s home showed his client surrendered as soon as police approached him.

“He’s lost 96 per cent of vision in his left eye. He needed facial reconstructive surgery. He’s suffering PTSD because of what happened to him.

“You would never expect police officers to do that to do to you ... it was just an absolute mugging, to be honest,” Carpenter said.