South Yorkshire Police 'will be held to account' over baton attack on teenage boy

South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has vowed that the county's police force ‘will be held to account’ over an incident in which a teenage boy was struck over his head with a police baton.
By Claire Lewis
Published 11th Feb 2020, 06:31 BST
Updated 11th Feb 2020, 07:11 BST
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Dr Alan Billings issued a statement after video footage of a police officer striking a teenage boy over his head with a baton went viral.

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The teenager was left with a gaping head wound and covered in blood after the incident which came as fans made their way home from Oakwell after Barnsley played Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday.

A Sheffield Wednesday fan was struck over his head with a police baton after his team played Barnsley on SaturdayA Sheffield Wednesday fan was struck over his head with a police baton after his team played Barnsley on Saturday
A Sheffield Wednesday fan was struck over his head with a police baton after his team played Barnsley on Saturday

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An internal investigation is under way and the incident has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

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It has not yet been revealed whether the officer involved has been suspended from duties.

Dr Billings said: “The incident is a very serious matter and one that I have asked the Chief Constable for a full account of.

“I am aware that South Yorkshire Police has referred this matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and that a full review of all available footage will be undertaken. That is the right thing to do.

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“The public can be assured that I will be listening very carefully to what the Chief Constable reports and that the Force will be held to account.”

Assistant Chief Constable Lauren Poultney, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “We understand the public will have concerns about the content of a video circulating on social media, with a 16-year-old suffering injuries to his head.

“South Yorkshire Police has referred this matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and we are waiting for their decision as to how this is progressed.“As part of the investigation into the wider disorder following the football match on Saturday, February 8, a full review of all available footage will be undertaken. “The clip circulating on social media shows only a very brief period of time, and in order to understand the full context of the situation, we would ask anyone who was a witness or has further footage of what took place to contact us.”