Video shows boy, 16, held to the ground before arrest at Sheffield station for 'travel fraud'

In the footage, which was posted to Facebook by Ryan Tan, who witnessed the arrest on Wednesday morning, the boy claims he is being assaulted by a police officer who is holding his arm behind his back while he is on the floor. Another officer then comes over to help detain him. The boy also claims he is “not obliged” to provide police with his details. Suspects can be arrested and charged for refusing to provide details to an officer.

Several passers-by challenge the officers over their use of force. One woman can be heard saying: “He’s only a kid.” Another man asks: “Have you really not got better things to do?”

Ryan said: “He did get a bit aggressive then they just took him off his bike and got him on the floor.

"It was quite far-fetched.”

A British Transport Police spokesperson said: “Officers were called to Sheffield station at 8.40am yesterday (9 September) following reports of a young man refusing to purchase a ticket on board a train, or leave the service when instructed to by rail staff. Officers identified a 16-year-old man who continued to refuse to give his details to police for an unpaid fair notice.

"After trying to leave and struggling with the officer involved, he was arrested on suspicion of travel fraud. He has now been released on bail while enquiries continue.”