Police pepper sprayed 93-year-old amputee during care home call, UK court told

A 93-year-old disabled man was sprayed in the face with synthetic pepper spray before being shot by a Taser and hit with a baton, by police officers responding to a call at his care home, a court in Britain has heard. Donald Burgess, who has one leg, was allegedly assaulted by police officers Stephen Smith and Rachel Comotto, at the home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, on 21 June 2022. Prosecutors claim the officers used "unjustified and unlawful" force within seconds of entering the wheelchair-bound pensioner's room. Southwark Crown Court was told on that one minute and 23 seconds elapsed between the officers arriving and Mr Burgess being shot with the Taser. Mr Smith, 51, denies two counts of assault by using Pava spray and a baton, and Ms Comotto denies one charge of assault by discharging her Taser. Staff had called police after Mr Burgess was seen poking a care worker in the stomach with a knife after flicking food at her. Managers wheeled him back to his room and tried ... Read full article.