A 65-year-old man left paralyzed and in a wheelchair is suing the Metropolitan Police for approximately £10 million (about $12.7 million USD) after officers mistook him for a burglar and deployed a Taser, leading to a fall that broke his spine.
Leonard Sandiford was tasered in April 2022 in east London after police responded to a suspected burglary at a bookmaker's shop. Officers attempted to stop him, but Sandiford attempted to flee and climbed a wall. He was then struck by a Taser, causing him to fall approximately six feet to the ground. The fall resulted in a broken spine and paralysis.
Sandiford has not been charged or arrested for any offense related to the incident. His lawsuit alleges that the police acted in a "high-handed and oppressive" manner, using "excessive and unjustified" force. His barrister, Richard Gregory, stated that the Taser discharge was unnecessary and dangerous, especially given that Sandiford was attempting to leave the area and had scaled a shed structure.
Medical documents indicate Sandiford is an "incomplete tetraplegic" and required over a year of treatment at a specialist neurological center before being transferred to a care home. His legal team asserts he now needs 24-hour care and assistance for all daily activities and is dependent on a wheelchair and hoist for mobility.
The Metropolitan Police are contesting the lawsuit, arguing that Sandiford precipitated the incident by fleeing from officers investigating a crime. Lawyers for the Met claim Sandiford was under the influence of drugs and was either attempting or in the process of burgling the premises. They also argue that the arresting officer, PC Liam Newman, believed the use of the Taser was a last resort to prevent potential harm to occupants of a nearby house.
According to court documents filed by the Met's barrister, George Thomas KC, Sandiford was seen by police in a white van near the bookmaker's shop. When PC Newman attempted to stop him, Sandiford exited the vehicle and fled, climbing a fence and onto a shed roof. The police claim PC Newman considered his options, determining a baton strike would be ineffective due to distance and that PAVA spray would not be useful as Sandiford was facing away. The Taser was reportedly deployed twice, with the second deployment appearing to affect Sandiford before he fell.
The police maintain that the Taser deployment was a reasonable and justified use of force in a "fast-moving, high-pressure" situation, especially given Sandiford's alleged intoxication and attempt to evade capture. Sandiford reportedly admitted to taking cocaine and heroin around the time of the incident.
PC Newman was previously charged with assault in relation to the Taser discharge but was acquitted in a criminal court in January of this year. The civil lawsuit is scheduled for a full trial next year, unless a settlement is reached out of court. The case will involve examining the mechanics of the Taser injury and the state of mind of PC Newman at the time of the incident.