Disturbing footage which shows a plain clothes officer beating a teenage suspect who is already handcuffed and offering no resistance is being investigated by police. The officer repeatedly strikes the 17-year-old on the legs as he says: ‘I’m a child!’
Members of the public watching the scene in Romford, east London, can be heard criticising the officer who had arrested the youngster for possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply.
Members of the public in Romford shouted at the officer after he had arrested the youngster for possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply
The Metropolitan Police said there was a ‘struggle’ before his arrest and a second teenager assaulted an officer.
The video, which emerged online on Tuesday, has prompted former Deputy Mayor of London, Lee Jasper, to announce he will make a formal complaint to the Metropolitan Police.
The incident happened on Monday in Heath Park Road. The video, which does not show the whole incident, shows a young man wearing a set of handcuffs being escorted by a police officer in plain clothes with a baton primed for strike.
The officer then strikes the teenager’s legs and an onlooker can be heard shouting ‘what the f***, fam’.
The officer continues to batter the teenager who can be heard shouting ‘what the f*** are you doing to me, why the f*** are you hitting me for?’The suspect repeatedly says ‘I’m a child’ while the officer continues to strike him with the baton
Ther handcuffed teenager then gets on his knees and pleads: ‘I’m a child, I’m a f****** child.’
The police officer then holds the detained teenager down and turns to the onlookers and says: ‘Someone dial 999.’
An onlooker says: ‘You can’t just hit him like that,’ while the detained teenager screams: ‘I’ve done nothing, he’s slapping me with a stick.’
The youngster then turns his attention to the officer and says: ‘Do you know what you have just done? I’m taking you to court.’
A Metropolitan Police Service spokeswoman said: ‘Police were on patrol in Heath Park Road, Romford on Monday, 22 April when they found reason to stop and search two teenagers under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
‘After a struggle, one male, aged 17, was detained by an officer. He was subsequently searched and was found in possession of Class B drugs. He was arrested for possession with intent to supply and obstruction of a drugs search. Former Deputy Mayor of London Lee Jasper said he will make a formal complaint about the shocking incident
‘The second male, aged 14, escaped the officers and ran to his home address. Here, an officer found the male and after another struggle, he was detained. During the struggle the officer was assaulted by the male.
‘He was arrested for obstruction and assault on a police officer. Both males were taken to an east London police station and subsequently released under investigation.
‘We are aware of footage circulating on social media. No formal complaint has been received at this time but the full circumstances surrounding the incident, including the actions of the officers, are being reviewed.’
Former Deputy Mayor of London, Lee Jasper feels the clip warrants an official complaint against the Metropolitan Police after posting his response on Facebook.
He said: ‘As a former Deputy Mayor of London responsible for policing, I wish to make a formal complaint to the Metropolitan Police Service and Mayor of London about this wanton act of apparent police brutality.
‘I am aware that a complaint can submitted through Twitter and wish to exercise my rights to do so now.
‘This type of police racism and brutality is going to cause a riot.
‘You have no legitimacy in policing people like this and soon from now, I predict your officers will be routinely resisted, in some areas, as a consequence of your utter failure to reign in officers such as this.’
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