Three officers to face gross misconduct hearing after elderly woman was threatened with Taser, handcuffed and put in spit hood

Two serving Met Police officers and a former officer will face a gross misconduct hearing following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into an incident where an elderly woman who had dementia was “red-dotted” with a Taser, handcuffed and had a spit hood applied.

We established that one officer responded to a report of a disturbance, made by the woman’s carer, at an address in Peckham, south London on 9 May 2023.

The officer found a Black woman, aged 90, holding kitchen utensils. She was red-dotted* with a Taser by the officer after she did not comply with their instructions to drop the utensils. The Taser was not discharged.  

More officers attended the address and restrained the woman, handcuffing her to the front. The woman had a spit hood placed over her head after she spat in the direction of officers.  

She was then taken to hospital where the handcuffs and spit hood were removed.

We started an investigation the same month following a voluntary conduct referral from the Met relating to the force used against the woman. Her family also complained about the officers’ use of force and that she was discriminated against due to her age, race, sex and disability.  

Following the conclusion of our investigation, we determined that a police constable (PC) should face a gross misconduct hearing for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour relating to their use of force regarding the Taser, their communication towards the woman and for failing to take into account her age and disability.

The officer will also face additional allegations, at the same hearing, relating to a separate incident the following day (10 May 2023) where it is also alleged that they used their Taser inappropriately. This matter was the subject of a separate IOPC investigation.

In relation to the Peckham incident, we also found another serving PC and a former PC had a case to answer for gross misconduct for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour relating to the time the woman was kept in the handcuffs and spit hood, failing to take into account her age and disability and allegedly making inaccurate statements about the incident.

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “This was a concerning incident particularly given the woman’s vulnerabilities. 

“It was important that we investigated the full circumstances surrounding this incident to determine exactly what occurred.

“As a result we have decided that three officers who attended the incident should face a police disciplinary hearing which will ultimately determine whether the gross misconduct allegations are proven.”

During the investigation, we did not find evidence to support the family’s complaint that any officers discriminated against the woman based on her race or sex.

All parties have been informed of our decision and it will now be for the Met to organise proceedings.