Police officer 'aims punch at teen' in footage as internal force investigation launched

Police have confirmed they are undertaking an internal investigation after footage seems to show an officer allegedly aiming a punch at a 15-year-old boy on a street.

Officers arrested five boys, aged between 13 and 15, in anti-social media incident on Briarfield Road in Burnage, Greater Manchester last week when a brick was said to have been thrown at a car.

Footage has been circulating on social media showing the arrest of a boy of 15 who was forced onto the ground by officers, reports Manchester Evening News.

In one video clip, it appears that an officer is seen directing a downward punch towards the boy just before he is handcuffed and his legs are restrained. It remains uncertain whether the punch landed on the boy, who is subsequently depicted screaming and resisting as he is escorted into a nearby police van.

He was apprehended on suspicion of assaulting emergency service workers and subsequently released under investigation.

Pictures taken later in hospital show the boy with cuts and grazes to his back, arm and head.

His mother, 35, a florist, told the Manchester Evening News her son has been diagnosed with ADHD and had never been arrested before. She has lodged a formal complaint alleging her son was attacked by police.

She said: "I'm absolutely disgusted. We put our trust in these people and these are the people we pay our taxes for. Not only have they physically assaulted him, but afterwards I could not locate him. They wouldn't tell me where he was taken. It was totally unnecessary force."

She said her son was arrested on suspicion of the assault without injury of three police officers. Police have confirmed a youth was arrested on suspicion of assaulting emergency workers. The mum said her son's confrontation with the law started when he challenged officers as they were arresting another boy.

Footage captures officers pinning her son onto the pavement beside a parked car after he reacts furiously to the arrest of the other youth. He can be heard screaming and repeatedly asking the officers 'have you got kids?' and pleading with the officers to 'get off me'.

When one officer asks him to calm down, he says: "I wasn't doing anything. You just stood on my mate's neck, what to do you expect?"

Two officers can be seen holding the boy's head to the ground as other officers apply leg restraints. He can heard calling one of the officers a 'f***ing muppet' before screaming for the cops to 'get off my head!'

He appears to begin crying and shouts 'someone call my mum'. He is heard urging bystanders to 'sit in front of the van' before it leaves with him. The teenager continues to scream and swear at the officers as he urges them to 'get off my head'. He then screams at the officers 'why are you digging into my jaw?' He then sobs 'please, please, please help me' to bystanders.

As he urges cops to 'get off my face', one officer tells him: "We'll sort you out and sit you up but we need you to stay calm. Are you listening to me? Are you listening?"

The boy then sobs before he is lifted to his feet to be carried away, screaming and struggling against the officers. It takes four officers to lead him away but as he continues to struggle and scream, he falls to the floor and he has to be lifted a second time to be led to the waiting van.

Other footage also captures the moment cops pounce on another youth trying to run away, as his mother videos the incident. When she tells officers her son had 'done nothing wrong', one cop confronts her and tells her: "You should be ashamed of yourself.... Take some responsibility... You're embarrassing!"

The mother can he heard shouting 'bunch of f***ing bullies' as her son is led away by the officers.

The 36-year-old mother-of-seven who is training to be a nurse said: "It went from zero to this in seconds." She said she had also made a formal complaint to police.

Moments after the boy who was allegedly punched is locked into the police van, a bystander is heard to tell the cops 'you've trapped his leg in the door', although this cannot be seen in the footage.

His mother added: "(He) didn't commit any criminal damage. He didn't assault any police officer. In fact, it was the opposite way around. It's heart-breaking for a mother to have to stand there and watch this."

She said that after his release, she took her son to Manchester Royal Infirmary where she took pictures of his injuries.

Greater Manchester Police has confirmed it has launched an internal review into the incident on Tuesday evening, May 7, including examination of police body-cam and other footage.

A force spokesperson said: "We're aware of clips on social media that show officers responding to reports of anti-social behaviour and bricks being aimed at a car in the Burnage area of Manchester on Tuesday (7 May) evening.

"Officers were confronted with a challenging situation - which included one officer being racially abused and another being targeted with an attempted headbutt. Five arrests were made of boys aged between 13 and 15 on suspicion of criminal damage.

"We understand the concerns that have been raised and we are keen to ensure the public hold us to account. We have received a complaint and our Professional Standards Directorate is assessing the incident - which includes reviewing all body-worn video and other available footage."

The spokesperson confirmed the boy who was allegedly punched was arrested for three alleged assaults of emergency workers.

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