Police not guilty of assault on 92-year-old amputee
Two police officers have been found not guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after a 92-year-old amputee was pepper-sprayed and Tasered at his care home.
PCs Stephen Smith, 51, and Rachel Comotto, 36, denied using excessive force on Donald Burgess at Park Beck care home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex.
Jurors returned their unanimous verdicts on both Sussex Police officers at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.
They found PC Smith not guilty of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm for his use of Pava spray and for using a baton, whilst PC Comotto was found not guilty of one count for deploying her Taser.
Despite this, Sussex Police Assistant Chief Constable Paul Court said that the officers would still face gross misconduct proceedings.