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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tasered blind man: PC Stuart Wright ordered to apologise | Tasered blind man: PC Stuart Wright ordered to apologise |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A police officer who Tasered a blind man after mistaking his white stick for a samurai sword has been ordered to apologise in person. | A police officer who Tasered a blind man after mistaking his white stick for a samurai sword has been ordered to apologise in person. |
| Colin Farmer was hit by the stun gun in Peter Street, Chorley in October 2012. | Colin Farmer was hit by the stun gun in Peter Street, Chorley in October 2012. |
| A Lancashire Police gross incompetency hearing also recommended PC Stuart Wright be given a performance improvement notice. | A Lancashire Police gross incompetency hearing also recommended PC Stuart Wright be given a performance improvement notice. |
| Mr Farmer is planning a civil action and said an apology would be "crocodile tears" and "too little too late". | Mr Farmer is planning a civil action and said an apology would be "crocodile tears" and "too little too late". |
| "I've not had any justice - it nearly killed me, I nearly left all my children behind me, for what? Being blind and having a stick," he said. | "I've not had any justice - it nearly killed me, I nearly left all my children behind me, for what? Being blind and having a stick," he said. |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said Mr Farmer has been through "a terrifying ordeal". | The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said Mr Farmer has been through "a terrifying ordeal". |
| The 63-year-old was walking to a pub to meet friends when he was struck by the weapon. | The 63-year-old was walking to a pub to meet friends when he was struck by the weapon. |
| Mr Farmer, who is registered blind, said he fell to the ground under the force and thought he was being attacked by thugs. | Mr Farmer, who is registered blind, said he fell to the ground under the force and thought he was being attacked by thugs. |
| 'Unnecessary force' | 'Unnecessary force' |
| According to the IPCC report, Mr Farmer was then handcuffed while on the ground and not released until the arrival of another officer, who PC Wright told: "I think I've got the wrong person." | According to the IPCC report, Mr Farmer was then handcuffed while on the ground and not released until the arrival of another officer, who PC Wright told: "I think I've got the wrong person." |
| The report said the police officer had "used a level of force on Mr Farmer that was unnecessary and disproportionate". | The report said the police officer had "used a level of force on Mr Farmer that was unnecessary and disproportionate". |
| Mr Wright also failed to take "reasonable steps" to establish if Mr Farmer was carrying a sword prior to discharging his Taser and ignored instructions and radio transmissions about how officers were to search the area, according to the findings. | Mr Wright also failed to take "reasonable steps" to establish if Mr Farmer was carrying a sword prior to discharging his Taser and ignored instructions and radio transmissions about how officers were to search the area, according to the findings. |
| Mr Farmer said of the attack: "I thought [that] any nanosecond I'm going to be killed and there's no-one to help me - I will never survive." | Mr Farmer said of the attack: "I thought [that] any nanosecond I'm going to be killed and there's no-one to help me - I will never survive." |
| IPCC Commissioner James Dipple-Johnstone said: "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. | IPCC Commissioner James Dipple-Johnstone said: "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. |
| "When he realised his mistake [he] should have acted quicker to put things right." | "When he realised his mistake [he] should have acted quicker to put things right." |
| In August, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided no criminal charges were to be brought over the incident. | In August, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided no criminal charges were to be brought over the incident. |
| A 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of an offensive weapon, but on the advice of the CPS was released without being charged, Lancashire Police said. | |