Sex Education star 'pepper sprayed and kicked' in 'unlawful arrest'

This is the moment an actor has claimed he was pepper-sprayed and kicked to the ground by police officers in front of his crying mother.

Reece Richards, who played Eugene on the hit Netflix show Sex Education, says he was the 'victim of an unlawful arrest and police misconduct' in Fulham, West London , on September 4.

He says he was wrongly arrested after witnessing a car crash in the early hours of the morning while he was returning home from performing in Hairspray the Musical in the West End.

Officers were pursuing three men who had run out of the car that had crashed in Fulham Palace Road after it failed to stop for police.

Mr Richards alleged that he saw two men flee the crash that happened 'just yards' away from his home but was placed under arrest with officers thinking he was involved in the incident.

The actor, who said he alerted officers to the direction of one of the fleeing men, appeared to be told to 'stay where you are' by an officer threatening him with pepper spray in footage captured in nearby building and later posted to Instagram.

He added that he was then 'kicked' and 'handcuffed' with the footage showing the officers on top of him.

The Met Police confirmed it had received a complaint over the arrest which was being investigated by its Professional Standards department. However, no officers have been suspended or taken off duty over the incident.

In a statement posted alongside the video, Mr Richards wrote: 'They pepper-sprayed me, kicked my legs out from under me, threw me to the ground, and handcuffed me.

'In a flash, I was face-down on the pavement with multiple officers holding me down, forcing my head into the ground.

'I was already injured from the show, but having four officers on top of me worsened my injuries to my back, ribs, and stomach.

'I couldn't see anything, but I could hear my mum nearby, screaming and crying, begging them to let me go.'

A spokesperson for the Met Police told MailOnline: 'We are aware of a video circulating on social media of a man being detained in the Fulham area.

'Officers often find themselves in dynamic, challenging situations and have to make split-second judgements on which course of action to take.

'Officers had been pursuing three men who had run out of a car that had crashed in Fulham Palace Road after it failed to stop for police.

'It is clear the man shown in the footage was an innocent bystander and he was dearrested as soon as this was established by officers at the scene.

'All officers know any use of force must be proportionate and reasonable and they understand their actions will be scrutinised.

'A complaint has been received in relation to his arrest.

'This is currently being assessed by officers from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), along with other material including the officers’ body worn video footage.

'None of the officers involved are subject to restrictions at this time.'

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been contacted by MailOnline.