Police launch investigation after officer is filmed punching 16-year-old suspect in the head THREE times during arrest
- Witnesses filmed two officers arrested a boy, 16, against the back of a police car
- The suspect believed to have learning difficulties, heart and breathing problems
- Recording shows an onlooker shouting abuse and calling one policeman a ‘bully’
- Another officer runs over to help detain the teen, holding him against back of car
- One of the policemen punches the suspect in the head repeatedly, video shows
Police have launched an investigation after an officer was filmed punching a teenager in the head three times during an arrest.
Witnesses recorded the two officers detaining a 16-year-old boy against the back of a police car in Horsefair, Kidderminster, at 10.20pm on Monday.
The suspect is believed to have learning difficulties, heart and breathing problems, a family member confirmed.
Police have launched an investigation after an officer was filmed punching a teenager in the head three times during an arrest in Horsefair, Kidderminster, at 10.20pm on Monday
Footage shows an onlooker shouting abuse and calling one of the policemen a ‘bully’ before another police car arrives at the scene.
Another officer runs over to help detain the teen, holding him against the back of the police car as a man behind the camera asks ‘what are you doing to a little kid?’.
The officer tells the suspect ‘do not resist, stay where the f*** you are’, to which he replies: ‘Who the f*** are you?’
The witness filming the incident says: ‘Go on, give it to them lad, f***ing let them have it.’
One of the policemen then punches the suspect in the head repeatedly, grabbing his neck as the pair of officers tried to detain him.
Footage shows an onlooker shouting abuse and calling one of the policemen a ‘bully’ before another police car arrives at the scene
The man filming shouts: ‘What are you doing? You scumbag!’
The boy and another female – who is also in her teens – were both arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and have been released under investigation.
A relative of the boy said the youngster suffered injuries to his face and hands during the incident. Police have launched an internal investigation in response to the video.
The officers’ body-worn cameras have been passed on to West Mercia’s Professional Standards Department.
One of the policemen then punches the suspect in the head repeatedly, grabbing his neck as the pair of officers tried to detain him
Chief Inspector Edward Hancox said: ‘I have been made aware of an extract of a video shared on social media today.
‘The video appears to show an incident in Horsefair, Kidderminster, last night (October 5) around 10pm.
‘The part of the incident caught on video by a member of the public shows West Mercia officers detaining an individual who was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.
‘Another individual connected to this incident was also arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer.
‘A male and a female in their teens and both from Kidderminster were arrested for assaulting an emergency worker and were taken into custody at Kidderminster Police Station.
‘They have both since been released under investigation.
‘An internal investigation has been launched and we have forwarded the details and video of the incident together with any captured police officer’s body-worn video to our Professional Standards Department for review.’