Ben Richards-Everton police video: Bradford City takes legal action

A football club has called in lawyers after one of its players was handcuffed by police who stopped his car.

Ben Richards-Everton was confronted by officers as he left a shop in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, last month.

In a video filmed by his girlfriend, the Bradford City defender is seen asking why he is being handcuffed and why an officer has a Taser.

Police said the Range Rover he was driving was flagged up in relation to drugs and firearms offences.

A search revealed no illegal items and West Midlands Police said they believed the vehicle's number plates had been cloned.

'Alarm and distress'

Mr Richards-Everton was later released without further action, but the League Two side said it had taken legal advice and would pursue the matter on his behalf.

In a statement, the club said the experience caused the player "serious alarm and distress".

"Having reviewed all of the evidence made available to us, we have instructed our specialist legal partners to take the matter further," it said.

"We support our player's judgement in making the matter public, as he saw fit."

The club said it would be making no further comment at this time.

West Midlands Police said: "Officers on patrol in Sutton Coldfield spotted a car which flagged up with warning markers for drugs and firearms.

"The car parked up and officers approached the driver in Walmsley Road just after 18:00 BST on 24 June. The driver was detained while officers carried out a search of the car.

"Nothing was found in the car and it's now thought that the number plates, which sparked the suspicion, are cloned."