Watchdog examines how boy was hit with police baton

The boy was hit with a police baton outside Barnsley Interchange

The police watchdog is investigating the case of a 16-year-old boy who was taken to hospital with a head injury after being hit with a police baton.

South Yorkshire Police said officers had been responding to disorder on Saturday between football fans at Barnsley Interchange.

The matter had been referred to the IOPC, Ass Ch Con Lauren Poultney said.

An officer was also taken to hospital with head and stomach injuries when violence erupted after the match.

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Match Commander Ch Supt Sara Poolman said: "A full, open investigation, including extended video footage, will take place to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the actions that led to a 16-year-old boy sustaining a head injury from an officer's baton and an officer being assaulted, sustaining injuries to his stomach and head."

'Deep public concern'

Ms Poolman said the boy was taken to hospital by ambulance and the officer also attended hospital.

A 47-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.

Barnsley were playing Sheffield Wednesday in a Championship game at the Oakwell ground on Saturday.

Louise Haigh, Sheffield Heeley MP and shadow policing minister, had called for the Independent Office for Police Conduct to investigate.

She said: "This video and incident has understandably caused deep public concern in Sheffield and the wider area, and a referral should be made to the IOPC.

"It is right in order to uphold public confidence, that the incident now be investigated entirely independently of South Yorkshire Police."

South Yorkshire Police said: "A full review of all available footage will be undertaken. The clip shown on social media shows only a very brief period of time, and in order to understand the full context of the situation we would ask anyone who was a witness or has further footage of what took place to contact us."