Police officer pushes and drags 13-year-old boy who asked for help

1 Jul 2026 • 3:45 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Police officer pushes and drags 13-year-old boy who asked for help

A police officer in Chippenham shoved and swore at a 13-year-old boy wearing school uniform after he asked for a lift home, bodycam footage from October 2025 shows.

Pc Daniel Rusling, 30, of Wiltshire Police, was on duty during the altercation.

The teenage victim, who was part of a group of six children, had called 999 asking for help after he reported being threatened by people in a car, Wiltshire Police said.

The boy was later seen in Rusling’s bodycam footage approaching his vehicle when the officer told him, “If you stand in front of the car, I will move you out of the way”.

He replied, “How are you going to do that?” before Rusling launched himself at the child, shouting, “Back up.”

Rusling was filmed telling the child to “get the f*** out of the way” and “keep f***ing walking” as he dragged him by the jumper, threatening: “Do you wanna get yourself nicked or do you want to go?”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said Rusling, who placed both his hands on the boy, did not de-escalate the situation after the boy said he was missing and asked for a lift home.

Rusling admitted one count of assault by beating in May. On Tuesday (30 June), he was sentenced to an eight-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

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