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Humberside Police officer 'threatened boy with Taser'

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Goole Magistrates' Court
Image caption,

The disciplinary hearing is being held at Goole Magistrates' Court

Two police officers threatened to Taser a boy with learning difficulties who was sitting on a sofa, a misconduct hearing heard.

PCs Paul Jackson and James Newton were called out to speak to the 14-year-old following a phone call made by his father on 5 May 2013.

A misconduct panel heard his head was "banged against a wall" during his arrest and he suffered facial bruising.

The officers deny Humberside Police's claim that they breached standards.

The disciplinary panel heard the boy, who was from London and visiting his sister in Hull at the time, received "several leg sweeps" after police were told he was being "out of control".

PC Jackson is alleged to have told the boy in a threatening manner: "If you don't talk to me you might get a bit closer to that Taser than you'd have wished."

The panel heard one of the officers had told the other to "Taser him", but received the response: "I'm not going to Taser him."

The boy's father had only called police to "help my son behave himself" and was "surprised" by what had happened, the panel heard.

He said: "I thought they were just going to cool him down, I didn't think it would ever get to that stage."

'Not engaging'

Giving evidence via video link on Wednesday, the boy, who has a previous robbery conviction and cannot be named for legal reasons, said he "didn't understand why" he was being arrested.

During questioning from PC Jackson's solicitor, the boy said: "They dragged me off the sofa and put the cuffs on me. I didn't know what was going on."

PC Jackson told the panel he was unaware the boy was 14 and vulnerable because of his tall stature and stocky build.

He said he "needed to talk to him to calm him down" but the child was "not engaging" with him.

PC Newton denied using "disproportionate" and "unnecessary" force to restrain the teenager.

The hearing, which is being held in Goole, continues.

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