Police Under Fire for Handcuffing 12-Year-Old Over E-Scooter

South Wales Police are facing public criticism after a video emerged showing officers handcuffing a 12-year-old boy and confiscating his electric scooter. The incident occurred on Wednesday in Pontardawe, Swansea Valley, when officers encountered Zain Evans and his friends exploring an abandoned chapel.

Mobile phone footage shows Zain, dressed in pyjamas and a cycling helmet, being directed by a female officer to move his e-scooter. When Zain questions the confiscation, a male officer orders him to move aside, then forcibly takes him to the ground and handcuffs him. The boy can be heard screaming in pain, with his mother, Emily Evans, claiming officers yanked his arms behind his back with such force that Zain heard a "pop." She stated he was treated in hospital for muscular injuries and cuts to his legs from broken glass on the ground.

According to his mother, Zain had taken the scooter to a friend's house because its electrics had stopped working, and it was not in a rideable condition. She insists he was not riding it at the time. Officers reportedly confiscated Zain's phone and his friend's phone, and later seized the friend's e-scooter as well.

Ms. Evans said she drove by during the incident and was heartbroken to see her son in distress. She described the police action as "completely out of order" and noted that Zain has been experiencing nervousness since the event. She also stated that attempts to inquire about the return of the scooters were met with confusion, with the compound having no record of the seized vehicles.

South Wales Police issued a statement acknowledging the incident, saying officers were responding to a suspected case of criminal damage at the disused church. They confirmed that individuals believed to have committed offences were searched and an e-scooter, suspected of being used illegally, was seized. The force added that it is aware of the circulated footage and the community's concerns regarding the use of force. The matter has been referred for review by their Professional Standards Department, and officers have contacted the boy's mother.