Source link : https://london-news.net/police-taser-incident-leaves-man-tetraplegic-officer-on-trial-for-unlawful-use-of-force/
A man who plunged from an auxiliary structure after being Tasered by a police officer is now reliant on a wheelchair, a court has been informed.
Leonard Sandiford was fleeing from law enforcement in Woodford Green, east London, when he found himself in a dead end and climbed onto a “shed-like structure.” After being Tasered, he fell from a height of approximately 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters).
At 61 years old, he has suffered a spinal cord injury, leaving him tetraplegic and wheelchair-bound, as stated by prosecutor Irshad Sheikh during proceedings at Southwark Crown Court on Monday.
Metropolitan Police Constable Liam Newman, 31, hailing from Hornchurch, is facing charges of grievous bodily harm against Sandiford.
The jury was informed that the prosecution argues that Newman’s decision to deploy the Taser in this situation constituted an unreasonable application of force and was thus unlawful.
In his opening remarks, Sheikh asserted, “Mr. Sandiford was merely trying to escape. He posed no threat to either of the officers.”
He explained that Newman had undergone training related to the use and deployment of Tasers, emphasizing, “The potential for a person to be incapacitated in such a scenario inherently increases the likelihood of an uncontrolled and unsupported fall.”
“The risk of injuries occurring under these circumstances should have been clear to PC Newman,” he added.
Newman was accompanying another officer in response to a report concerning an…
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Publish date : 2026-01-05 14:55:00
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