A Metropolitan Police officer has been accused of 'lazy policing' after firing his Taser at a fleeing burglary suspect, causing the man to fall from a height and suffer life-changing injuries that left him tetraplegic and reliant on a wheelchair.
The Incident in Woodford Green
The jury at Southwark Crown Court heard that the incident occurred in the early hours of 24 April 2022 in Woodford Green, east London. Officers PC Liam Newman, 31, and PC Colin Searle were called to a Coral bookmakers on Chigwell Road following reports of a loud banging, indicating a possible break-in.
Upon arrival, the officers encountered a white Ford van driven by Leonard Sandiford. The court was told they attempted to stop the vehicle, with PC Newman using his baton on the driver's side, opening the door and trying to pull Mr Sandiford out. A chase ensued after Mr Sandiford fled on foot.
'Uncontrolled' Fall and Life-Changing Injuries
The pursuit ended when Mr Sandiford, having reached a cul-de-sac, climbed onto a shed. Prosecutor Irshad Sheikh told the court that PC Newman then deployed his Taser. Mr Sandiford fell 'uncontrolled' from a height of nearly six feet, sustaining a severe spinal cord injury.
The injury rendered him tetraplegic, meaning he has lost use of all four limbs and torso. He is now permanently dependent on a wheelchair. Body-worn video footage played to the jury showed Mr Sandiford on the outbuilding before the Taser was activated and he disappeared from view.
Prosecution and Defence Cases Clash
The prosecution argued that PC Newman's actions constituted grievous bodily harm and were both unreasonable and unlawful. Mr Sheikh stated the officer fired not out of fear for his safety or that of others, but 'just to stop Mr Sandiford from getting away', labelling it a lazy act because 'he did not want to chase after him'.
In contrast, the defence, led by Kevin Baumber, asserted that PC Newman's 'motivation is one of public service'. The officer told jurors he believed there was a high chance the suspect was armed and that he was 'protecting myself and protecting others'. He described his 'honest-held belief' at the time that Mr Sandiford posed a lethal threat, though he now accepts the suspect was not trying to run him over.
PC Newman denied the prosecution's claim of laziness, insisting he had genuine safety concerns. He stated he thought Mr Sandiford was on a low, flat surface about two feet high, not the shed roof from which he ultimately fell.
The jury has been sent home and will resume its deliberations on Tuesday morning.
