A 90-year-old black woman was handcuffed and had a spit hood placed over her head and a Taser pointed at her by the Metropolitan police.
The woman was reportedly left with cuts and bruises to her wrists and one of her arms after being restrained at her home in Peckham, south-east London, on 9 May.
She was handcuffed behind her back, had a mesh spit hood placed over her head and a Taser trained on her before she was taken to hospital without being arrested.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the incident. One officer has been suspended and barred from using a Taser, while five others have been placed on restricted duties so they have no contact with the public.
The Met said officers were called to an address in SE15 on 9 May after reports of a disturbance between a woman and her carer.
A spokesperson said: “The Met officers attended and identified a 90-year-old lady, who was distressed. After officers attempted to engage with her, she was restrained using handcuffs and a spit hood applied after it was alleged one officer was spat at. The woman was then taken to hospital. She was not arrested.
“During the course of the incident, an officer issued a red-dot challenge with their Taser but did not discharge it.”
The IOPC launched an investigation on 17 May after the Met’s directorate of professional standards referred the case to the watchdog. A family member of the woman has been allowed to watch footage of what happened from the officers’ body-worn video cameras.
DCS Seb Adjei-Addoh, who is in charge of policing in the borough of Southwark, said the incident raised a number of questions.
“There are limits to what I am able to say in relation to this incident given it is now subject to an IOPC investigation. However, it is clear that this will have been a distressing experience for the lady involved and that the circumstances raise a number of questions that need to be answered,” he said.
“While I do not wish to pre-judge this process, officers know that they must be able to justify any use of force or restraint and we will expect that of the officers involved in this incident. They also know that we expect them to show compassion and to adjust their approach in real time according to the circumstances they are faced with.”
An IOPC spokesperson confirmed it was investigating and added: “We have also received a public complaint concerning the level of force that was used and the injuries it is alleged the woman sustained, including cuts and bruising on both her wrists and one arm. We have been in touch with the woman’s family to explain our role.”
