Middlesbrough fans ask police to explain 'heavy handed' treatment

Middlesbrough's match with Stoke City on 11 December ended in a goalless draw

A football supporters group has asked police to explain the "totally unacceptable treatment" of its fans.

Boro Support claims Staffordshire Police used pepper spray on Middlesbrough fans after the match with Stoke City on 11 December.

The group said "innocent fans" had been caught up in "extremely heavy-handed policing".

The force said a number of complaints were being reviewed by its professional standards department.

In a letter to Staffordshire Police's chief constable, Chris Nobile, Boro Support's chair Mark Motley said officers should not put the public in "situations that are at best uncomfortable and at worst intimidating".

He continued: "Innocent fans, including families and older people were caught up in the extremely heavy-handed policing outside the stadium, including pepper spraying.

"Many fans missed trains due to being held back after the final whistle without explanation."

'Lessons learnt'

After the Championship match, a number of Boro supporters told BBC Tees they were stopped and made to leave in single file and some had been pepper sprayed.

One said he had questioned the response and was told by police they had received intelligence that hooligans were planning violence.

When asked for a response, Staffordshire Police reiterated an earlier statement in which it said it reviewed "tactics and lessons learnt" after each fixture.

A spokesperson repeated that a 15-year-old boy from Stoke-on-Trent and a 34-year-old man from Teesside had been arrested on suspicion of beating an emergency worker.

Boro Support's letter says the reasons for supporters being held back were not communicated properly and requests an explanation.

It also asks why it appeared pepper spray had been used "in a manner that meant innocent fans were affected".