Officers who Tasered and pepper-sprayed disabled pensioner, 92, in his wheelchair 'lost control', misconduct hearing is told

From the Newshound archive · first published 29 September 2026.

Two Sussex Police officers pepper-sprayed and Tasered a one-legged, 92-year-old dementia patient in his care home wheelchair over a small dinner knife, then drove him to a police station where his condition rapidly deteriorated. Donald Burgess died in hospital three weeks later. PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto now face a disciplinary panel that could see them sacked after being told they acted 'hastily, harshly and lost control'.

PC Comotto is also accused of joking about Tasering the one-legged pensioner in a Facebook post after the incident.

Sussex Police's own lawyer told the panel it was 'a serious breach of force against an elderly man in his care home.'

The incident at Park Beck Care Home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, began when officers were called to reports of a man threatening staff with a knife.