Officer who Tasered Jordan Begley guilty of 'potential misconduct'

Jordan Begley died in July 2013, two hours after PC Terrence Donnelly shot him with a stun gun. Photograph: Rex Features

A police officer who Tasered a man shortly before his death should not have held the trigger for such a long time, the police watchdog has found.

Jordan Begley, 23, died in hospital of cardiac arrest in July 2013, two hours after being shot with a stun gun and restrained by police officers. His mother had called 999, saying her son had been drinking and she feared he had a knife after a row with neighbours over a stolen handbag.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found that PC Terrence Donnelly, the officer who stunned Begley, was guilty of potential misconduct because he extended the use of a Taser longer than the automatic five seconds.

Donnelly no longer serves with Greater Manchester police (GMP) but were he still a serving officer he should face misconduct proceedings, IOPC investigators found. His behaviour did not amount to a sacking offence, they added.

The watchdog initially cleared Greater Manchester police of any blame in Begley’s death, but was given permission to reinvestigate after his subsequent inquest in 2015

concluded that the use of a Taser was “not reasonable” and that failings by police officers had contributed to his death.

While the jury concluded that police may have believed Begley was carrying a knife, they said the officer “inappropriately used the Taser by holding the trigger down longer so that it was deployed for over eight seconds, which is not reasonable use in the circumstances”.

The new investigation by the IOPC started in February last year and looked at the actions of six GMP officers.

The IOPC deputy director general, Ian Todd, who oversaw the reinvestigation, said: “Clearly this has been a long and difficult journey for everyone involved in this tragic case, not least Mr Begley’s family; I apologise to the family and the officers for any stress and anxiety caused by these necessary but protracted investigations.

“This vital reinvestigation was conducted in light of the inquest findings, where we identified discrepancies between the evidence given and the evidence collected by the original investigation.”