WIREDGOV

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has published its findings from an investigation into a police officer who discharged a Taser at a partially-sighted man.

PC Stuart Wright faced a gross incompetency meeting after an independent IPCC investigation into his decision to discharge Taser on Colin Farmer on Friday 12 October 2012 in Peter Street, Chorley.

Mr Famer, then 63, was walking away from PC Wright and posed no threat, the IPCC investigation found. The officer claimed he mistook him for a sword-carrying man that had been reported to Lancashire Constabulary by members of the public.

Mr Farmer, who had been walking with the aid of a white stick, was handcuffed while lying on the ground and was not released until the arrival of another officer, who PC Wright told: "I think I’ve got the wrong person”.

The IPCC report found that PC Wright –

•         Ignored instructions and radio transmissions about how officers were to search the area and respond to any sightings of a man with a sword

•         failed to take reasonable steps to ascertain if Mr Farmer was carrying a sword prior to Taser discharge

•         failed to comply with local and national guidelines in relation to the use of Taser

•         used a level of force on Mr Farmer that was unnecessary and disproportionate to the circumstances

•         caused further distress to Mr Farmer by detaining him in handcuffs despite it being obvious he had the wrong man

The IPCC recommended the officer had a case to answer for gross misconduct.

Lancashire Constabulary held two-day gross incompetency hearing that concluded on 25 March 2014 with a recommendation from the force that PC Wright should be issued with a performance improvement notice and told to apologise personally to Mr Farmer.

IPCC Commissioner James Dipple-Johnstone said: "Mr Farmer was subjected to what must have been a terrifying ordeal. Our view was that PC Wright could and should have listened to instructions from his force controller and taken greater steps to ascertain whether Mr Farmer was the sword-carrying man that had been reported by members of the public and when he realised his mistake should have acted quicker to put things right. There is public concern about use of force, and, particularly, Taser. Incidents such as this do little to ease that concern.

"I hope that the personal apology to Mr Farmer allows the officer to reassure him that he will learn lessons from these events and that the improvement plan for the officer and measures taken by the force to improve its training and communications prevent further incidents such as this.”

A copy of the IPCC’s investigation report has been published on our website here.