A Metropolitan police officer accused of Tasering a 10 year-old-girl twice will face a misconduct hearing later this year.
PC Jonathan Broadhead allegedly used unreasonable force against the child when he twice deployed the weapon at the girl’s home in south London.
The Crown Prosecution Service declined to prosecute the officer for excessive use of force over the incident in January 2021.
But the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) determined he did have a case to answer for gross misconduct “in relation to the Tasering of a 10-year-old girl”.
A three day hearing will take place at the end of November, it was revealed on Tuesday.
The Met said: “It is alleged that on January 21, 2021 the officer used force against a 10-year-old child, which was not necessary, reasonable and proportionate in all the circumstances.
“In particular, the officer deployed his Taser against [the child] and/or deployed his Taser against [the child] for a second time.”
Officers had been called to the home in south London at around 5.20pm after reports of a girl threatening a woman with garden shears and a hammer.
A police Taser was discharged and the girl, known as Child A, was taken to hospital. She sustained no physical injuries, the Met said.
PC Broadhead was put on restricted duties.
A CPS spokesman said: “Following a careful review of the file sent by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, we determined that there was no realistic prospect of conviction in this case.
“Our decision took into account all of the available evidence and the officer’s use of a taser in light of the circumstances and the law.
“The decision not to charge was upheld following a Victim’s Right to Review, and we explained our decision to the girl’s family.”
More than 1,000 Met officers are currently suspended or on restricted duties, the Met said on Tuesday as it continues its attempt to root out rogue members of the force.
It comes as Scotland Yard faces criticism over using excessive force when called to cases involving young people, particularly black children.
The Met last week admitted overusing its powers to strip-search children.
Three officers face accusations that they discriminated against the teenager because of her race and sex and this amounts to gross misconduct.
A fourth faces lesser misconduct action relating to the absence of an appropriate adult at the search, which happened at a school in Hackney in December 2020.
Met bosses have agreed to write formal letters of apology to Child Q and her family.
IOPC’s director, Steve Noonan, said the incident had “caused widespread concern”.
“Any person subject to a search involving the exposure of intimate body parts is in a vulnerable position and they are entitled to be treated with respect and courtesy,” he added.
MPs have also raised concerns that children are forced to decide what legal representation they require if arrested and taken into custody
Labour MP for Lewisham East Janet Daby yesterday told the Commons: “When a child is arrested, they must choose if they wish receive legal advice, just like an adult.
“But children are not adults, and no one should expect a child aged 10 or above to decide whether to exercise their right to a solicitor.”
Safeguarding Minister Sarah Dines said: “Children detained in police custody must have an appropriate adult—statistics shows that that happens in 99 per cent of cases. I want that to be 100 per cent. Police custody remains a core part of the criminal justice system. It is critical for maintaining police confidence, bringing offenders to justice and keeping the public safe.
“We must ensure that adults do not abuse children and are not attracted to making children get involved in criminal activity because the police are too scared to put them into custody if necessary.”
