Met officer cleared of GBH after man left paralysed after being Tasered
11 May 2023, 16:25 | Updated: 11 May 2023, 16:43
A Metropolitan police officer has been cleared of grievous bodily harm after a man was paralysed after being Tasered.
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Metropolitan Police officer Imran Mahmood, 36, was found not guilty at Southwark Crown Court of unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm on Jordan Walker-Brown, who was left paralysed after being Tasered.
Bodycam footage shown in court showed Mr Mahmood chasing down Mr Walker-Brown with a Taser in his hand.
Mr Walker-Brown entered the front garden of a house and tried to climb over a fence leading to a footpath, but first had to jump onto a wheelie bin to make it over, the court previously heard.
At this point the defendant drew his Taser, which created such an electric shock it caused Mr Walker-Brown to tumble backwards over the fence. He landed head-first on the footpath below and broke his back.
PC Mahmood - who is attached to the Met Taskforce - pleaded not guilty on 28 April 2022 to grievous bodily harm against Jordan Walker-Brown, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Read more: Met officer charged with GBH after man left paralysed following police chase
Bodycam footage shows moment PC Imran Mahmood chases and 'tasers' man
Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines, who is responsible for policing in Enfield and Haringey, said: "My thoughts today are with Mr Walker-Brown and his family whose lives have been changed forever.
"I don’t underestimate the effect this incident will have had on them and have offered to meet with them when appropriate to listen to their concerns and discuss the matter in further detail.
"It is always a matter of deep regret when an individual comes to harm following contact with police and officers know that in such circumstances their actions will be subject to the highest scrutiny.
"I am also very aware of the significant impact this incident has had on the wider community.
"We know that today’s outcome may reignite those feelings, which is why we have been working closely with key members of the community and partner agencies across the borough to listen to concerns and build on our existing relationships with all communities.
"We are aware that police use of Taser is seen by some as a controversial tactic, and incidents like this raise very legitimate concerns about its use.
"We are concerned too, and want to improve how we engage with our communities around this issue, by encouraging a two-way dialogue and having those we serve more involved in monitoring how we use the tactic.
"We do believe that it remains a vital tool, but will continue to keep its use under constant review and regularly train our officers to ensure they use the tactic appropriately."
