Irish Republican News · December 19, 2024

PSNI violence caught on camera

A video has emerged which shows a member of the PSNI police kicking a County Tyrone teenage boy in the head while he was restrained on the ground last weekend.

The incident took place in Cookstown in the early hours of Sunday. The short clip shows a uniformed PSNI officer kick 16-year-old Shea Somerville, with full force directed at his skull, during an arrest operation in Cookstown in the early hours of Sunday.

Another youth who was recording events was body slammed to the ground before knees were placed on his head. On the recorded footage a male voice can be heard shouting “I can’t breathe”.

While he was being taken to Dungannon PSNI station, members of the PSNI (formerly RUC) then continued to assault Shea.

He suffered severe bruising to his neck, face and body, and mouth. He has been unable to eat solid foods since the incident. He was also not given access to a doctor while in custody.

It is understood the PSNI members did not switch on their body worn cameras during the incident. None of those involved have been suspended from duty and they continue to patrol the area.

The boy’s lawyer, Gavin Booth, of Phoenix Law, said his client has been given antibiotics “to deal with the pain” and “there is a high likelihood that the incident will have caused him psychiatric injury”.

Saoradh slammed the assault they described as “vicious” and “hate-driven”.

“Once again the mask of the front line of Britain’s illegal occupation slips,” they said.

They said the Crown Forces had kicked Shea’s head “like a football” while he was already being detained on the ground.

“This is the true face of Britain’s continuing occupation of Ireland, and the vile treatment of local working class children in our communities.”

“We call on this mercenary of the crown to be immediately suspended, as we cannot and will not allow another child to be attacked by this uniformed thug.

“We now know for a fact he remains active in our local area, if it was anybody else they would be looking at a heavy custodial sentence”.

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