Saturday 18 July 2015

Interview on BBC South Today 16 July 2015 - Tasered men awarded payout by Dorset Police

Interviewed on BBC South Today on payout by Dorset Police to Taser victims.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b061sw9h


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-33547218

Tasered men awarded payout by Dorset Police -16 July 2015

Tasered men awarded payout by Dorset Police

Two stag do revellers who were Tasered and pepper-sprayed by police have each received a five-figure payout.
Brothers-in-law John Naylor, 53, and Darren Corbridge, 40, were stunned by officers in Weymouth town centre in August 2010.
They had been trying to help groom Stewart Roberts - who was in dressed up as male genitalia - get a taxi.
Sophie Khan, the two men's solicitor-advocate, said the use of the weapon had been excessive.

'Excessive force'

A Dorset Police spokesperson said: "Dorset Police can confirm that an out-of-court settlement has been reached, with no admittance of liability."
He added: "It is not our practice to comment on the settlement amount."

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The National Police Chiefs Council has asked for an independent review into the safety of Tasers

Ms Khan said police also paid legal costs of £90,000.
Her clients were found guilty of attacking police in relation to what happened, but in 2012 Mr Corbridge and Mr Naylor had their convictions overturned by a judge who was shown the CCTV of the incident.
Ms Khan said: "The claim by Mr Corbridge and Mr Naylor followed a serious incident in Weymouth town centre where the use of force on them was so excessive it had to be challenged.
"I hope Dorset Police can learn from this and that it doesn't happen to anyone else."
There are about 70 officers trained to deploy Tasers in Dorset.
The National Police Chiefs Council has asked for an independent review into the safety of the weapons.
It follows a recent inquest in which a jury found the use of a Taser to restrain 23-year-old Jordon Begley in Manchester in 2013 was a factor in his death.