A 65-YEAR-OLD man left paralysed in a wheelchair after he was Tasered by cops is now suing for a massive £10million in compensation.
Leonard Sandiford was left tetraplegic during a police chase.
Leonard Sandiford, 65, is suing the Met Police after he was Tasered by a cop Credit: Champion News Service
PC Liam Newman, 31, shot the suspect with a Taser while he scaled a 6ft shed Credit: PA
Now, Sandiford claims he was the victim of “high-handed and oppressive” conduct by the cop, and suffered “excessive and unjustified” force.
He was trying to escape two officers who were chasing him following a suspected burglary at an east bookies’ in April 2022.
While scaling a shed, he was blasted by the Taser, causing him to take a hard tumble 6ft to the ground below.
He suffered catastrophic back injuries which have left him an “incomplete tetraplegic”.
PC Liam Newman was arrested for assault – but later acquitted Credit: Central News
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is being sued for £10million Credit: PA
Furious Sandiford is now suing Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, for “aggravated and exemplary damages” amounting to roughly £10million.
His lawyers argued he was subject to “assault and battery” and claim Newman’s choice to shoot the Taser was unnecessarily dangerous.
They added he now needs “24-hour care and assistance for all personal and domestic activities of daily living” and is wheelchair dependent.
Sandiford’s barrister Richard Gregory said: “His discharge of his Taser into the claimant, whilst he was at height in the particular circumstances, was an excessive and unreasonable use of force in all the circumstances.”
PC Newman was charged and prosecuted over the Taser discharge, but was cleared of assault at Southwark Crown Court in January.
The disputed the claim at a pre-trial hearing at the High Court.
Lawyers for the force claim Sandiford was on and “had in fact attempted to, or was in the process of, burgling the premises”.
Sandiford was not charged or arrested for any over the incident.
In a written defence, Met barrister George Thomas KC said the constable had weighed up all the options before firing the weapon, firing it as a last resort.
“Notwithstanding that the claimant was at height at the time, the discharge of a Taser constituted a reasonable use of force in the circumstances as PC Newman reasonably believed them to be,” said Mr Thomas.
He added: “It is not admitted that it was the effect of the Taser that caused the claimant to fall from the roof.
“Further or alternatively, it is not admitted that the claimant would not have fallen in any event.”
The suspect was at fault for “fleeing” police, and creating a “fast-moving and high-pressure situation”, the Met argued.
The pre-trial hearing will be followed by a trial scheduled for next year.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
