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PCs laughed about spray use on man, 92, jury hears

Family handout Donald Burgess wears a straw sun hat tied under his chin and a white shirt with yellow and red petal-type shapes on it. He is sitting outside on a patio and is wearing glasses.Family handout
Donald Burgess was resident in a home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex

Police officers accused of assaulting an East Sussex care home resident joked about having used a full can of Pava spray on him, a court has heard.

A jury at Southwark Crown Court watched body-worn camera footage on Wednesday of PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto in the moments after they restrained Donald Burgess in 2022.

PC Smith, 51, denies two charges of assault by using Pava spray and a baton and PC Comotto, 36, denies one charge of assault by discharging her Taser at the 92-year-old amputee.

Mr Burgess, a wheelchair , was arrested at Park Beck care home in St Leonards-on-Sea, allegedly after excessive use of force by the officers.

Jurors heard on Tuesday that Mr Burgess said he wanted to murder the care home site manager and was wielding a cutlery knife when police arrived.

Prosecutors say the force used against Mr Burgess was excessive and unnecessary given his age and physical condition.

Mr Burgess was sprayed in the face with incapacitant spray before being Tasered and hit with a baton, the court heard on Monday.

Independent Office for Police Conduct Donald Burgess sits in a chair beside his bed in a care home. He is wearing a red and white checked shirt. One police officer is visible to the left side of the picture and the hands of another, pointing a yellow taser at him, are also visible to the left side of the screen.Independent Office for Police Conduct
Donald Burgess was sprayed in the face and shot with a Taser, the court heard

In the footage of the incident's aftermath shown to jurors on Wednesday, PC Comotto laughs and asks PC Smith: "Oh my God, is there any left in your can":[]}