Blind man mistakenly Tasered accepts settlement

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-34003116

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A blind man hit with a stun gun when his white stick was mistaken for a sword has agreed an out-of-court settlement with Lancashire Police.

Lancashire Police apologised to the man after the October 2012 incident.

The man's solicitor said the settlement was undisclosed. The victim's identity is protected by a court order.

The man brought a claim for false imprisonment, assault and battery and breach of the Human Rights Act 1998 against Lancashire Constabulary.

He has described being Tasered as feeling like "grabbing an electricity pylon".

The man said he had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and had been left "very nervous".

An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission said the police officer who shot him had "used a level of force that was unnecessary and disproportionate".

Following a disciplinary hearing in 2014, the officer was told to apologise to the man in person and was given a "performance-improvement notice".