A court heard that a 92-year-old amputee died three weeks after being pepper-sprayed and Tasered by two police officers. Donald Burgess was allegedly assaulted by PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto at the Park Beck Residential Care Home in St. Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex.
Jurors heard that Donald had used a butter knife to stab a worker in the stomach, prompting the authorities to be called to the house. Bodycam footage captured Smith seated in a wheelchair, still gripping the serrated blade, when he and Comotto entered his room.
“Put it down, buddy,” is what PC Smith is heard saying. Don’t be foolish, Donald, please. We don’t need to use this to fix the problem…Follow instructions. According to Southwark Crown Court, he then “emptied all or almost all of his canister” of pepper spray on Donald’s face.
Additionally, the video shows Smith approaching the elderly man while brandishing his baton before slamming into him. Before the officers remove the knife from Donald, Comotto lets out a painful scream and uses her Taser. Jurors were informed that the two entered the wheelchair-bound pensioner’s chamber and used “unjustified and unlawful” force.
According to prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC, it took the police one minute and twenty-three seconds to arrive before Donald was Tasered. He continued: “It ought to have been obvious by the fact he had one leg that this was a man who wasn’t going to be mobile. “This was an old, frail man who might not have realized what was happening. “Rather than being met with understanding and sympathy, he was confronted by irritation and annoyance on the part of the defendants.”
As per the court, Donald had a number of medical issues, such as diabetes and carotid artery disease. Following the event, he was admitted to the hospital, where he contracted COVID-19 and passed away 22 days later. Jurors learned that on June 21, 2022, Donald was observed flinging food at a care worker and then using a knife to poke her in the stomach, prompting police to be called to the facility.
A frail 92-year-old man brandishes a butter knife at police in a care home. They use a pepper spray on him and a ASP baton before tasering him. He died in hospital from Covid three weeks later. Best with sound on… https://t.co/3mdW2S31FC pic.twitter.com/ksYuXzQUU6
— CourtNewsUK (@CourtNewsUK) May 20, 2025
Before dialing 999, managers brought him back to his room and attempted to calm him down for half an hour. The cops were sent in response to a grade one call, which is the highest emergency classification.
Smith and Comotto are accused of not talking to the employees or telling Donald why they were there when they got there. Instead, Smith told him: “Do you want to put the knife down or you will be sprayed or tasered. Those are the options.”
Police Tasered amputee, 92, in wheelchair, court hears
A 92-year-old care home resident in a wheelchair was sprayed in the face with synthetic pepper spray before being Tasered.
Mr Burgess was taken to hospital after the incident and later contracted Covid. He died 22 days later pic.twitter.com/c83jDIDHXq
— WeGotitBack 🏴🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@NotFarLeftAtAll) May 20, 2025
Jurors were informed that although Donald had been diagnosed with dementia, the care facility specialized in helping those who had the illness. Mr. Jarvis continued: “I want to make it clear – these defendants are not responsible for his death. “He was an old man who wasn’t feeling well. However, he stated: “The force used was unnecessary and excessive in the circumstances. “The defendants physically harmed Mr. Burgess throughout their assault.
Comotto uses her Taser to deny one assault allegation, while Smith, 51, uses a baton and Pava spray to deny two assault charges. The trial goes on.
