Boy, 11, Tasered by police after knife stand-off in South Ayrshire

An 11-year-old lad equipped with a weapon was Tasered by constabulary during a stand-off successful South Ayrshire, it has emerged.

Police Scotland confirmed the incidental took spot connected 22 March astatine the Craig Tara caravan park, adjacent Ayr.

Footage published by the Scottish Sun shows respective officers asking the lad to enactment down the limb earlier 1 of them fires the 50,000-volt stun gun.

The incidental had been referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc).

The video shows the schoolboy being approached by astatine slightest 4 officers, 1 of whom is pointing a Taser astatine the child. He appears to beryllium holding a weapon and a mobile phone.

The officers tin beryllium heard asking him to enactment down the weapon and "do the close thing" but the lad backs distant from them.

One serviceman asks him: "What bash you privation bash with the knife?"

But the kid continues to retreat and tells them to "stay back".

The constabulary serviceman with the stun weapon past discharges the weapon.

The Police Scotland website describes Tasers arsenic a utile instrumentality to support radical from unit oregon threats of unit wherever different much accepted methods specified arsenic carnal restraint could effect successful wounded to the idiosyncratic oregon officers.

Their usage connected children, however, is controversial, and the United Nations Committee connected the Rights of the Child has called for a ban.

The bureau of the Children's and Young People's Commissioner successful Scotland expressed interest astatine the footage.

Nick Hobbs, caput of proposal and investigations, said: "Tasers are perchance lethal and inflict terrible symptom which creates important hazard for children. 

"Human rights bodies, including the UN Committee connected the Rights of the Child, person agelong called connected Scotland to prohibition the usage of Tasers connected children, highlighting the superior hazard of carnal and intelligence harm specified weapons pose. 

"We remain seriously concerned about Tasers' use in situations wherever determination whitethorn beryllium much effectual and safer ways to deescalate high-pressured situations."

In 2021 Police Scotland revealed plans for a four-fold summation successful Taser officers successful effect to a rising fig of assaults connected frontline staff.

The unit confirmed Specially Trained Officers (STO) numbers would summation from astir 500 to 2,000 by 2024.

All incidents wherever a Taser is discharged are referred to Pirc.

A spokesperson for Pirc said: "We are investigating the circumstances, and erstwhile our investigations are implicit a study volition beryllium issued to the main constable."

A nationalist advisory radical connected Taser usage successful Scotland was acceptable up successful February 2022 , and includes children's rights representatives.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Officers attended a disturbance involving an 11-year-old lad successful possession of a weapon astatine Craig Tara Caravan Park adjacent Ayr astir 11.15pm connected Wednesday, 22 March.

"The incidental was resolved with nary superior injuries. It was contained and determination was nary hazard to the wider public.

"A Taser was discharged during this incident. As portion of modular procedure, the circumstances of the incidental were referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner."