Spencer Beynon inquest: 'Ex-soldier was warned before Taser fired'

3 November 2022

An Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who died after being Tasered by police was told multiple times by an officer to stay down, an inquest has heard.

Spencer Beynon, 43, was discharged from the Army on medical grounds before his death on June 14, 2016.

A witness said an officer trying to calm him said "Stay down. Taser drawn".

Jurors in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, were also shown a letter saying the ex-platoon sergeant had lost colleagues and killed others while serving.

The inquest at Parc y Scarlets previously heard how in 2016 Mr Beynon had a violent outburst near his home on the Maes y Bwlch estate.

Witnesses said he was on the street with no shoes and carrying drug paraphernalia when he appeared to have a fit.

'Kids were screaming'

He pulled the hair of a bystander who tried to help him and headbutted a front door before police arrived, jurors were told.

A witness said he saw police arrive at the scene on the day Mr Beynon died.

Peter Roy Austen said there was "a lot of shouting, the kids were screaming" and that he saw "a male officer was trying to calm him down".

He said a police officer then said two or three times, "Stay down. Taser drawn".

"I heard the Taser going off," Mr Austen added, explaining how once Mr Beynon was on the ground he was "unable to see him" from behind a wall.

Spencer Beynon died after being tasered by police on the Maes y Bwlch estate in Llanelli

The inquest also heard more about Mr Beynon's mental state, including his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and drug misuse.

A letter was read to the jury from Dr P Devichand, dated 20 January 2014.

It said Mr Beynon had seen fellow soldiers killed and "had to kill several men" during his time serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He used cannabis to to help with his symptoms and this was "known to his consultants", the letter also said.

The inquest continues.