Police Taser blind man mistaking his white stick for a samurai sword

[Foxy Brown]

An innocent blind man was shot in the back with a 50,000-volt Taser by police after they mistook his white stick for a samurai sword.

Colin Farmer, 61, was hit after reports of a man walking through Chorley, Lancashire, early on Friday evening, with a sword. He said he initially thought he was being attacked by hooligans when he was struck by the Taser.

The matter is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) after Farmer made a complaint to the force.

Farmer, who used to run an architects' practice, was on his way to meet friends at 5.45pm and was walking in Peter Street near a restaurant. "I was just walking along and I heard some men shouting really angrily and thought I'm going to get mugged. I didn't know any police were here.

"The Taser hit me in the back and it started sending all these thousands of volts through me and I was terrified. I mean I had two strokes already caused by stress. I dropped the stick involuntarily and I collapsed on the floor face down."

He added: "I was shaking and I thought 'I'm going to have another stroke any second and this one is going to kill me. I'm being killed. I'm being killed'."

Farmer, who has suffered two strokes, the most recent requiring two months in hospital in March, was fearful he would suffer another stroke.

"I walk at a snail's pace. They could have walked past me, driven past me in a van or said 'drop your weapon'."

Lancashire Police apologised to Farmer for the "traumatic experience" but confirmed last night that the officer who fired the Taser has not been suspended and remains on duty.

[marisado]

Poor guy. If I was in he's position I would sue and make sure he was fired.