Autistic boy ‘punched by police during meltdown’

MUM CLAIMS TEENAGER ALREADY STABBED IN HEAD WAS ASSAULTED IN STATION CELL

A mum claims her autistic son was assaulted by police officers who did not understand how to deal with a suspect in his mental state.

The 18-year-old had already been stabbed twice in the head during the incident for which he was also arrested on suspicion of affray.

So when he suffered a meltdown in his cell and police reportedly used force to restrain him, they could have caused “a brain injury”, his mum claims.

The teenager, who did not want to be named, spent 36 hours in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Bradford Royal Infirmary last week before he was taken to Huddersfield police station for questioning.

There, he initially refused his hospital prescribed codeine - a painkilling drug - so that he could remain fit for interview and return home as soon as possible.

But when the pain got too bad he was returned to hospital for scans and more medication.

It was when doctors gave him the allclear and police took him back to the police station for a second time that a disagreement over his hospital-prescribed pills allegedly led to a confrontation.

The teenager’s mum said: “He was in a meltdown, which is not like someone losing their temper. Someone with autism and ADHD in a meltdown cannot control their emotions and the last thing you should do is shout or try to restrain them.

“They’d taken the tablets to his cell, they were for his asthma and his pain, and apparently he grabbed them and said, ‘I’ll take them when I’m ready,’ to which they just jumped on top.

“He grabbed his pillow and hid them under his pillow, so they punched him in the arm.”

She added: “It shows an absolute complete and utter lack of training and understanding about how to deal with someone with ADHD and autism.

“Nobody should be being abused because they’re having a meltdown.”

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police confirmed: “A complaint has been received and is being reviewed. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”