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Officers Cleared of Assault, Then Fired for Tasing
6 Oct
Summary
- Officers used force within 90 seconds of arriving at a care home.
- A vulnerable resident, a wheelchair user, was tasered.
- The officers were acquitted of assault but dismissed from duty.
On June 21, 2022, police officers responded to a call at a care home in St Leonards, East Sussex, concerning a resident reportedly armed with a knife and threatening staff. Bodycam footage showed officers entering the room of Mr. Burgess, a resident who used a wheelchair and had an amputated leg.
Mr. Burgess was holding a cutlery knife when the officers, identified as Pc Smith and Pc Comotto, entered. Both officers employed force against him within 90 seconds of their arrival. Pc Smith used Pava spray and a baton, while Pc Comotto deployed her Taser.
In May 2025, the two officers faced a trial for assault but were acquitted. However, on Tuesday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced their dismissal without notice. They will also be barred from future police service.
