Police Cleared of Assault After Tasering and Pepper-Spraying 92-Year-Old; Gross Misconduct Proceedings to Follow

On May 28, 2025, a UK court delivered a verdict in the case of two police officers accused of assaulting a 92-year-old man. The officers, PC Stephen Smith and Rachel Camotto, were cleared of assault charges. The incident, which occurred in June 2022 at a care home in East Sussex, involved the pepper-spraying and tasering of Donald Burgess, a wheelchair user. Bodycam footage showed PC Smith pepper-spraying Mr. Burgess and PC Camotto deploying her taser. The prosecution argued excessive force was used. Assistant Chief Constable Paul Court expressed regret over the incident's impact on public confidence. Mr. Burgess's family, through their solicitor Mavi Salvator, maintain the officers' actions were unjustified. Mr. Burgess later died after contracting Covid-19 in hospital. The officers will now face gross misconduct proceedings.