Murray Bridge teen, 15, ‘hit by police’ after allegedly spitting at female officer during heated arrest

A teen accused of spitting at police has been left bruised and traumatised after an officer allegedly hit him, his mother claims. WATCH THE CONFRONTING VIDEO.

An Indigenous teenager accused of spitting at police has been left traumatised and bruised after an officer allegedly hit him during an arrest at his Murray Bridge home, his mother claims.

Confronting video shows a heated confrontation between a group of officers and the 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, at the youth’s home on Friday morning.

His upset mother, who also cannot be identified for legal reasons, has told of her trauma after witnessing five officers arrest her son.

A screen shot of the youth being held down with his hands cuffed behind his back. Picture: Supplied

The officers are trying to restrain him. No one can be identified for legal reasons Picture: Supplied

The boy’s mother, who described her son as a “good kid” and a “people person” but a troubled teen, said he was recovering with bruising including a black eye.

She said doctors were concerned he would now require glasses.

“I’ve spent the past five years telling my kids to trust the police. They’re important and we need them in our community,” the mother said.

“But this has traumatised all of us, especially my younger children. We’re physically and emotionally drained. This has set me back a million steps.”

The woman said her son was “a good kid”.

The teenager in happier times. Picture: Supplied

“He’s caring but he’s a teenager who has lost his way a little bit,” she said.

“We trusted the police. I opened my door willingly. But what sort of law are we demonstrating to our future generations?

“One punch can kill someone … I was absolutely disgusted when I opened my door for that to happen.”

The drama unfolded after police arrived just after 11am to serve an arrest warrant on the teenager, over a missed court hearing on affray charges.

The boy’s mother, aged in her mid-30s, said she answered her door to an officer who allowed her time to calm her anxious son and urge him to leave peacefully.

The bruised eye Picture: Supplied

The boy’s mother said he was a “good kid who had lost his way a little bit”. Picture: Supplied

She said a few minutes later the boy’s father opened the door again to find five officers who then spent the next 15 minutes trying to arrest their son.

Video of the incident, which the mother filmed on her mobile phone, shows three officers holding the topless teen down on a couch with his hands cuffed behind his back.

The teen turns his head, swears and then allegedly spits at a female officer.

A male officer is then seen punching him in the head.

Onlookers are audibly upset, swearing and shouting.

“My son said he was trying to tell them they were hurting him,” his mother said.

The boy was taken to Murray Bridge Hospital for a mental health assessment and was initially refused police bail after being charged with assaulting officers and breaching bail.

But he was later granted bail to reappear in Murray Bridge Youth Court in November.

His mother said: “When I saw him I just cried. Can you imagine picking your son up from the police station, where officers are there to protect us, and see your soon looking like that? “He can’t see out of his right eye. He doesn’t want to leave our house now.”

Originally published as Murray Bridge teen, 15, ‘hit by police’ after allegedly spitting at female officer during heated arrest