'My son was holding a butter knife when he was tasered ... all over a Burger King meal'

"He’s been left with a scar on his leg and his tracksuit was all ripped," the boy's mum said of her boy's ordeal.

Joel Erickson

2 min read

May 24, 2023 - 12:52PM

11-year-old boy tasered by police in standoff

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The mother of an 11-year-old boy who was tasered by police at a holiday park claims her son was only holding a butter knife during the ordeal.

Footage shows the boy, who has not been identified, backing away from a group of five police officers with what appears to be a knife in his hand.

One cop then approaches him holding the Taser — usually only deployed when there’s an immediate threat of violence — before delivering a powerful electric shock.

The boy is heard screaming in pain and is seen writhing on the grass.

The incident occurred at the Craig Tara holiday park on the outskirts of Ayr, Scotland.

Footage shows the schoolboy brandishing a knife before he’s zapped. Picture: Scottish Sun

The boy's mum spoke to MailOnline and claimed her son became angry because he couldn’t have Burger King for dinner because the restaurant had closed.

“He had kicked off because his cousin got a Burger King and he couldn’t get one because it was closed by then,” she told the Mail. “And then he ran off.

“I had to phone the police because he was somewhere he doesn’t know and I couldn’t find him myself and I was panicking.

“He wouldn’t feel confident to ask someone to help him find his way back.”

The mum said her son grabbed a butter knife and “just ran with it” once police arrived at the holiday park.

The mother and her 11-year-old son who was tased at a holiday park in Scotland. Picture: MailOnline

She has now demanded an official apology from Police Scotland after her son was left “traumatised” by the incident.

“It was so scary for him,” she told MailOnline. “They tased him and he hit his head on a fence and had to be taken to hospital.

“He’s been left with a scar on his leg and his tracksuit was all ripped … It's just pure negligence on Police Scotland’s part.”

The mum told MailOnline her son didn’t speak for two weeks after the incident.

“I’ve had no apology from the police … I’m raging about it,” she said.

“I keep getting asked for statements from people higher up, but I’ve had no apology or anything.”

The boy is backed into a corner by cops during the incident. Picture: Scottish Sun

The mum also claims none of the police tried to reassure the boy at any point before he was tased.

Police Scotland confirmed with the Scottish Sun a taser had been discharged, and said they’d reported the incident to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner.

Meanwhile, the boss of a UK-based children’s charity has slammed police over the incident, saying using stun guns on kids breaches their rights and can cause “physical and psychological harm”.

Joanne Smith, of NSPCC Scotland, described the use of the weapon as extremely concerning.

“Tasering under-18s is in opposition to international children’s rights standards,” she told the Scottish Sun.

“They pose a serious risk of physical and psychological harm.”