A Greater Manchester Police Officer who Tasered a vulnerable man six times has been sacked following a disciplinary hearing at Greater Manchester Police.
The panel decided PC Phillip Smith’s actions amounted to gross misconduct following a three-day hearing at GMP headquarters.
PC Smith had been carrying out a welfare check in June 2018 when he fired his Taser twice in the victim’s bedroom, twice in his hall and porch, and twice in his front garden.
PC Smith, who was a response officer at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to common assault at Preston Crown Court in September 2021 following an independent investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after the incident was referred by GMP.
He was handed an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay his victim £250 compensation following the incident in Dukinfield, Tameside, in June 2018.
The crown court case only dealt with the final four discharges, whereas the disciplinary hearing looked at the whole incident.
Charles Apthorp, representing GMP, said PC Smith’s behaviour amounted to a ‘breach of professional standards and was a discredit to the police service’.
He added: “The officer failed to act with self-control and tolerance towards a vulnerable member of the public and failed to use his powers and authority lawfully.
“Police officers need to show self-control and act in a respectful manner towards colleagues and members of the public.
“Discharge of the Taser was an excessive and disproportionate use of force – there was no justification for the deployment with the victim posing no threat and being a vulnerable person.
“The victim had not committed any offence and there was no reasonable reason to suspect he had.”
PC Smith will also be added to the College of Policing Barred List.
Paul Forster, LQC, chairman of the panel, said the discharges outside the bedroom were ‘gratuitous’ and with ‘excessive force’.
He said: “PC Smith failed to reassess the situation when the victim was in handcuffs.
“Once outside the bedroom, the victim did not pose a risk, PC Smith failed to give a warning and there was no justification for discharging his Taser.
“PC Smith lost his temper – It was a gratuitous act to cause pain with no justification. PC Smith lost self-control and failed to show the victim respect.”
