Tayside Police have launched a probe following claims officers used CS spray on two children.
Maryann Bannigan of Princes Croft, Coupar Angus, said children Ryan (9) and Chelsea (10) have been left ”traumatised” by the incident on Thursday night.
The 44-year-old claimed it had been ”chaos” outside her home when a group of officers arrived to arrest another of her seven children, 23-year-old Paul.
”Paul was handcuffed and on the ground when the police sprayed CS in his face,” Mrs Bannigan said. ”He is a diabetic and was panicking because of the spray. I was trying to calm him down.
”The police said ‘stand back’ to me everything went chaotic.”
Mrs Bannigan claimed that as a result of her intervention she was sprayed with the incapacitant and became disorientated.
”Chelsea was shouting at the police ‘leave my brother alone’ and a policeman said ‘stand back or I will spray you’, which he did.
”I was pushed and went on to the ground and Ryan ran over to me they CS sprayed Ryan while he was on top of me.”
Mrs Bannigan estimated that at the height of the incident there were around 20 police officers in the street outside her home.
”It was total mayhem,” she added.
Mrs Bannigan said Ryan required treatment at Blairgowrie Cottage Hospital that night and she took both children to the doctor the following day as they were still suffering the irritant effects of the spray, which had left their faces red and blotchy. Chelsea also suffered a number of heavy nose bleeds.
”I am not burying my head in the sand. Paul is no angel, but I feel victimised,” she said. ”I do not know how traumatised Ryan and Chelsea will be. It is a shame. I think it is disgusting. I can’t believe they did this to two children.”
Mrs Bannigan said she had been feeling very emotional since the incident and still had red marks on her arms as a result of the spray. She said she was not going to let her allegations drop and was in the process of lodging an official complaint regarding the conduct of the officers.
A spokesman for Tayside Police confirmed they were looking into the matter saying: ”Tayside Police officers attended reports of a large disturbance at an address in Kings Road, Coupar Angus, on Thursday night (May 31).”
The spokesman added: ”A total of seven people six men and a woman aged between 19 and 48 years old have been charged in connection with the incident and reported to the procurator fiscal. Charges relate to breach of the peace and obstructing the police.
”Tayside Police can confirm that the use of CS spray in dealing with this disturbance has been the subject of complaints and inquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing.”