Spencer Beynon inquest: Tasering dying veteran reasonable - jury

Spencer Beynon was discharged from the army on medical grounds

A police officer's use of a taser on a dying military veteran was reasonable, an inquest jury has concluded.

Ex-soldier Spencer Beynon died on 14 June, 2016, near his home in Maes y Bwlch, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

The former Army platoon sergeant, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, had injured his neck with broken glass.

It was concluded Mr Beynon, who had been medically discharged after suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, died by misadventure.

Police were called to the estate by residents who had seen him headbutting a door.

He had became violent and injured himself in the neck with a broken bottle, severing the internal jugular vein.

When two officers arrived at the Carmarthenshire estate, Mr Beynon, formerly of the Royal Welsh Regiment, was covered in blood from the neck injury, which happened prior to their arrival.

Read more on this story:

• Spencer Beynon died of neck injury not Taser, inquest hears

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

• Llanelli: Spencer Beynon headbutted door before death - inquest

• Ex-soldier inquest: 'Veteran died after police Taser'

The 43-year-old was tasered by former PC Oliver West who told the inquest Mr Beynon moved towards him after being slumped in a doorway.

His account was backed up by PC Sian Beynon, who said she saw Mr Beynon shift as "if to move towards us".

This was disputed by other witnesses who said Mr Beynon was in a sitting position.

A pathologist previously told the inquest he found no evidence the use of a Taser caused him to have a cardiac arrest, and that a neck injury had caused his death.

Spencer Beynon had served with the Army in Iraq and Afghanistan

Mr Beynon had been medically discharged from the Army after suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and had since struggled with drug abuse.

The inquest heard he died from neck injuries and blood loss.

Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire's acting senior coroner, Paul Bennett, instructed the jury to consider if it was reasonable for PC West to use the Taser, but not whether its use had contributed to Mr Beynon's death.

The jury found by a majority of 10 to one that it was reasonable as Mr Beynon had moved towards the officer who perceived that action as a threat.

Mr Beynon was tasered by police near his home on the Maes y Bwlch estate

An Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation found no case to answer for misconduct against any Dyfed-Powys Police officers.

The force said the inquest jury "endorsed the reasonableness" of police at the scene.