12-Year-Old Boy Left Injured After Being Forced to the Ground by Police Over Electric Scooter as Mother Demands Answers

Disturbing footage showing three police officers restraining a 12-year-old boy in Wales has sparked widespread outrage. His mother says he was left injured, frightened and needing hospital treatment after the confrontation, while police have referred the incident for an internal review.

A 12-year-old boy was left shaken after being forced to the ground and handcuffed by police officers during a confrontation over his electric scooter in South Wales.

The incident involving Zain Evans took place in Pontardawe, in the Swansea Valley, on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

Mobile phone footage of the encounter has since circulated online, prompting questions about how officers handled the situation and whether the level of force used against the young teenager was justified.

Zain’s mother, Emily Evans, says her son suffered injuries during the confrontation and was taken to hospital the following day.

The video has also raised concerns among members of the local community, particularly because of Zain’s age and the distress visible during the incident.

The moment a routine encounter turned into a physical confrontation

The footage shows Zain wearing a hoodie, cycling helmet and Hello Kitty pyjama trousers while helping a female police officer carry his electric scooter along an overgrown pathway beside a disused chapel.

A boy filming the encounter can be heard questioning why the scooter was being taken.

“Are you taking his scooter? He’s only been walking it. He hasn’t driven it once,” the boy says.

The female officer responds: “Oh, please. I wasn’t born yesterday. Stop lying.”

Zain then moves in front of the scooter, appearing determined to stop officers from taking it.

“What are you doing with it? You’re not taking it. I’m not letting you – I’ve got school,” he says.

A male officer approaches and orders him to move out of the way.

Moments later, the officer takes hold of Zain from behind and tells him that he is under arrest.

The footage shows officers pushing the youngster against metal railings before bringing him down to the ground.

As they attempt to restrain him, Zain can be heard crying out in distress.

“No, please!” he repeatedly pleads.

The confrontation has become the focus of intense online discussion, with viewers questioning why such force was necessary when dealing with a 12-year-old child.

His mother says he heard a “pop” as officers pulled his arms behind his back

Emily Evans says she was devastated when she realized her son was involved in the confrontation.

She told the Daily Mail that she happened to be driving past when she saw officers restraining Zain.

According to his mother, officers pulled his arms behind his back with such force that he heard a “pop.”

She also alleged that her son suffered cuts to the backs of his legs after being forced onto ground covered with broken glass.

Zain was taken to hospital in Port Talbot the following day, where his injured arm was reportedly placed in a sling after doctors assessed him.

Emily described the experience as deeply upsetting, saying she was heartbroken to see her son in such distress.

“It absolutely broke me to the core,” she said.

She also described Zain as a kind-hearted child who looks out for other people, particularly children who are being bullied.

According to Emily, her son has not been himself since the incident.

She said he has become nervous and has even needed to sleep beside her since the confrontation.

Family says the scooter was broken and being taken for repairs

Emily has also disputed the circumstances surrounding the seizure of her son’s electric scooter.

She explained that Zain had been taking the scooter to a friend’s house because its electrical system had stopped working and needed to be examined.

She insists that the vehicle was not functioning properly and that her son could not have been riding it as police suspected.

According to the family, Zain and two friends had entered a disused church to explore the building when officers encountered them.

Police escorted the children outside before the confrontation involving Zain began.

Emily also claimed that officers seized her son’s mobile phone and his friend’s phone, in addition to the electric scooter.

She further alleged that officers visited her son’s friend’s family farm the following day and removed another electric scooter.

The family says they experienced difficulties trying to establish where the seized belongings were being held.

Emily claimed that after police provided a telephone number to enquire about recovering the vehicles, staff at the relevant compound appeared to have no record of them.

These claims have not been independently verified, and South Wales Police has not publicly addressed every allegation made by the family.

What South Wales Police say about the incident

South Wales Police has confirmed that officers attended a suspected criminal damage incident at a disused church on Swansea Road, Pontardawe, at approximately 2:15 p.m. on October 28.

According to the force, officers conducted searches of individuals believed to have committed offences and seized an electric scooter that they suspected had been used illegally.

The police have acknowledged the video circulating on social media and said they understand the concerns raised by members of the public about the use of force.

A spokesperson said:

“While attending this incident, officers conducted searches of individuals believed to have committed offences and seized an e-scooter which was believed to have been used illegally.”

The force also confirmed that Zain’s mother had been contacted by officers.

Importantly, the incident has been referred to the force’s Professional Standards Department for review.

No findings from that review have been announced.

Questions remain over how a 12-year-old was treated

The case has sparked a wider debate about the use of police powers when dealing with children.

While officers were responding to a suspected criminal damage incident and concerns about potentially illegal electric scooter use, the footage has left many people questioning whether the physical intervention was necessary and proportionate.

The distinction between investigating suspected offences, seizing property and using physical force is likely to be an important part of the review.

For Emily, however, the immediate concern is her son’s physical and emotional recovery.

She believes the situation could and should have been handled differently.

“My kids have been brought up fairly. If they do wrong, they are punished. But what the police did here was completely out of order,” she said.

As the footage continues to circulate, the family is waiting for answers about why the confrontation escalated and whether the officers involved followed the appropriate procedures.

South Wales Police has acknowledged the public concern and referred the matter for review.

For now, the incident remains under examination, with no official determination that the officers acted improperly.

But one thing is clear: a confrontation involving a 12-year-old boy has raised serious questions about how children should be treated during police encounters.

And for a mother who says she watched her son being restrained and later took him to hospital, the search for answers is far from over.