Officers who tasered 93-year-old man in retirement home deny assault

The two police officers who tasered a 93-year-old man in an English residential care center deny attacking the man. The demented man allegedly threatened with a knife.

Two police officers, Stephen Smith (50) and Rachel Comotto (34), were called to the Park Beck residential care home in St Leonards-on-Sea, England, in June 2022 after reports that an elderly man was threatening staff with a knife. The two officers went there and found Donald Burgess, a man with dementia with one leg, in a wheelchair in his room. The man allegedly had a knife in his hand.

After a brief confrontation, one of the officers allegedly sprayed pepper spray and then hit him with a baton. Because the man did not drop the knife, the officers decided to taser the man. The officers then handcuffed the man, arrested him and took him to the police station.

Burgess was in serious condition upon arrival and so it was decided to transfer the man to hospital. He died there three weeks later.

“Innocent”

The police started an investigation into the events that day and the officers had to appear in court on Thursday. Both officers deny charges of assault causing bodily harm. Comotto denied a charge of assault causing bodily harm through the use of her Taser. Smith denied two assaults occasioning actual bodily harm on Burgess using a Pava spray and a baton.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the body responsible for overseeing complaints against England’s police, said the evidence did not show the incident caused the man’s death. “Our thoughts go out to Mr Burgess’ family and everyone affected by this incident. We have kept his family, Sussex Police and the coroner informed throughout our investigation. After our investigation, the Public Prosecution Service gave permission to charge both officers,” the IOPC said.

The trial will continue on May 23.