Two police officers, PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto, have been found by a disciplinary panel to have committed gross misconduct. The finding relates to their use of force on Donald Burgess, a 92-year-old amputee with dementia, at a care home in June 2022.
The officers were called to Park Beck care home in St Leonards-on-Sea after Mr Burgess threatened carers with a dinner knife. He was subsequently hit with a baton, pepper sprayed, and Tasered while in his wheelchair in his bedroom.
A hearing at Sussex Police headquarters in Lewes concluded there was "unjustified and excessive use of force" by both officers. The panel determined that PC Smith and PC Comotto did not attempt to de-escalate the situation before using force and breached standards of professional behaviour.
The panel found PC Smith made no attempt to assess Mr Burgess's vulnerability, and his tone was "dismissive in nature". PC Comotto was found to have shown no compassion and her statements were deemed inappropriate, with her use of force considered unreasonable.