Shocking footage shows boy hanging out car window in Gosport '“ but Hampshire police won't take action

The shocking incident happened on March 14 in Heritage Way, Gosport, and was recorded on an in-car camera.

It shows a Vauxhall driving along with a boy sticking his head and part of his body out the passenger side window.

But after Michael Light handed the footage to firm PoliceWitness.com - which looks at motoring clips to identify offences and passed it on to police - he was shocked when Hampshire police said it would not investigated.

Mr Light, from Gosport, said: ‘I am disgusted and I support the actions taken by PoliceWitness in raising this matter particularly as the vehicle in question appears to be a taxi with a professional driver at the wheel.

He added: ‘How the police believe no action is warranted beggars belief.’

Mr Light said a written response from Hampshire police said: ‘It has been decided that no further police action will be taken. Under our current policy Hampshire constabulary will not be investigating incidents of this nature unless there is a significant threat to public safety or if the vehicle is a known repeat offender.’

Chairman of PoliceWitness.com Matt Stockdale said: ‘I am gravely concerned that Hampshire police do not recognise the significant danger to this poor child and that the driver at the time has not even received a warning, my concerns are that the deepening financial cuts are having dire consequences on the decisions being made by the police.’

He said he has written to the soon-to-be new chief constable Olivia Pinkney with his concerns.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: ‘There are no offences that are clear within this footage, the age of the person is also not clear.’