Mum lodges police complaint amid claims disabled son 'rugby tackled' by officer after Leeds United match

The 16-year-old, who has a number of neurological conditions, was travelling home from Elland Road following the Whites’ home fixture versus Southampton on Saturday, May 4.

His mum said the teenager has previously undergone complex neurosurgery and has an “intricate tubing system in his brain”, had travelled on a bus to the Middleton area with his uncle when the alleged incident took place.

The woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, said that a police officer asked for the her son’s name before “putting his hand behind his back and trying to cuff him”.

The YEP understands that officers were responding to reports of an assault in the area at the time and were searching for a suspect with a similar physical description. The boy’s mum has alleged that it was a case of “mistaken identity”.

She told the YEP: “My son’s natural reaction was to pull his arm back. He’s then been thrown against a railing and rugby tackled to the ground.

“My son was shouting that he has a medical condition but he was ignored. He was in total shock. My brother said it was horrendous.”

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She added: “Once the officer realised it was mistaken identity, he jumped off my son and left.”

The woman said she called West Yorkshire Police and lodged a formal complaint.

A force spokesperson said: “A complaint has been received relating to the detaining of a teenage male in the Middleton area of Leeds on Saturday, May 4.

“This has been assessed and will be reviewed by West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate.”