Jordon Begley death: Judges quash IPCC Taser case report

Jordon Begley died after being Tasered following a row with neighbours in 2013

A report which cleared police officers of serious wrongdoing over the death of a man who was Tasered has been quashed by the High Court.

Jordon Begley, 23, died after officers used a Taser on him in Manchester in 2013.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) asked for its own report to be overturned so it could reinvestigate the case.

The judges said the report was flawed because of "material evidence" issues.

'Whitewash'

They have ordered a new investigation but Mr Begley's mother Dorothy said she remained "sceptical" about the IPCC's "ability to produce a fair report".

Ms Begley said: "The IPCC's original decision was a whitewash.

"Had it not been for the efforts of my legal team and the courage of the (inquest) jury we would not be where we are now.

"The IPCC have been told what to do. Only time will tell whether or not they can do it.

"I am sceptical because they have so badly failed me and my family before."

In their ruling, the judges dismissed the whitewash allegation as "wholly without foundation".

The family's solicitor Mark McGhee said: "As far as the family is concerned, they are delighted at the judgment.

"But only time will tell as to whether or not this time the IPCC will do what they should have done in the first place - namely a full, proper and adequate investigation."

Eleven Greater Manchester Police officers were despatched to Mr Begley's home after his mother called 999 reporting he had a knife during a row with neighbours.

He was shot with the 50,000 volt Taser gun from a distance of 28in (70cm) and was hit with "distraction strikes" while being restrained and handcuffed by three armed officers, a 2015 inquest was told.

The inquest jury delivered a narrative verdict concluding he died partly as a result of being "inappropriately and unreasonably" Tasered and restrained.

A year earlier, the IPCC report into the investigation concluded no officers should be prosecuted or face misconduct proceedings.

That conclusion was also quashed in Lord Justice Elias and Mr Justice Males' ruling.

'New investigation'

Jeremy Johnson QC, representing the IPCC and its chief executive, told the court a new investigation was the appropriate way to uphold the right of Mr Begley's mother to a proper inquiry under Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

The officers involved in the case had opposed the request to overturn the report.

Speaking on their behalf, Hugh Davies QC said there was no compelling basis for the case to be investigated again.

"No credible witness has established a case of misconduct against the officers during what was a violent and threatening event," he said.

However, the judges agreed with Mr Johnson and the case will now be the subject of a new investigation.

IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts said her organisation would "apply" the judges' comments to a "new investigation into the circumstances of Jordon Begley's death and the actions of Greater Manchester Police on that day".

She added that there would be "a new investigative team" who had "no previous involvement with the original investigation".