Officers on Trial for Assaulting 92-Year-Old Man

Two police officers, PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto, are on trial at Southwark Crown Court, accused of assaulting 92-year-old Donald Burgess, a care home resident with one leg who uses a wheelchair. The incident occurred in June 2022 at Park Beck Care Home in East Sussex, where the officers allegedly used excessive force while trying to disarm Mr. Burgess, who was reportedly holding a knife.

Within 83 seconds of entering his room, Smith allegedly emptied an entire can of Pava spray—an incapacitant similar to pepper spray—directly into Mr. Burgess’s face and struck him with a baton. Comotto is accused of deploying her Taser during the same encounter. Body-worn camera footage played in court captured the officers laughing afterward. In one exchange, Comotto asked if Smith had any spray left, to which he replied, “Probably not.” Another officer joked about Smith using a “Smithy special,” referring to the aggressive response.

Despite the elderly man saying “I’m dying,” he was handcuffed in his wheelchair and wheeled outside. Comotto later told the care home manager, “We don’t like doing that at all, but what can you do?”

The case raises serious concerns about police use of force on vulnerable individuals, especially in care settings. The trial continues, with the officers denying any wrongdoing. The footage and the officers’ remarks have sparked public outrage, fueling debates about police accountability and treatment of the elderly and disabled in high-stress situations.

Hadden, J. (2025, May 21). Police ‘joked about using full can of pepper spray’ on disabled 92-year-old care home resident. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/sussex-police-pepper-spray-care-home-taser-trial-b2755304.html