Autistic teenager arrested in Leeds after police alleging homophobia will face 'no further action'

A 16-year-old autistic girl who was arrested after being accused of making a homophobic comment to a police officer will face no further action.

The teenager was arrested by seven police officers outside her home in Leeds in the early hours of August 7.

Her mother, who uploaded footage of the incident to TikTok, said alongside the video that her autistic daughter told her an officer “looked like her grandmother, who is a lesbian.”

West Yorkshire Police have said they will “take into account all lessons learned” after the force was heavily criticised on social media.

In a statement released on Friday, he said: “In relation to an incident in Leeds on Monday, where a 16-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of a homophobic public order offence, West Yorkshire Police have now reviewed the evidence and have taken the decision to take no further action.

“This concludes the criminal investigation and immediately releases the girl from bail. Her family has been informed.

“West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate continues to carry out a review of the circumstances after receiving a complaint relating to the incident. »

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Deputy Police Chief Oz Khan said police recognized “the significant level of public concern this incident has generated” and said officers “moved quickly” to review the evidence.

“Without prejudging the outcome of the ongoing review of the circumstances by our Professional Standards Department, we would like to reassure people that we will take into account all lessons learned from this incident.

“We appreciate the understandable sensitivities around incidents involving young people and neurodiversity and are genuinely committed to developing how we respond to these often very difficult situations.”