A Met Police officer, barred from front line duty for five years amid a misconduct investigation after Tasing a fleeing suspect and causing paralysis, has been exonerated.
Jordan Walker-Brown, 27, sustained a broken back after falling from a height when Tased by PC Imran Mahmood during a police pursuit in Harringay, north London, on May 4, 2020.
The officer had feared Mr Walker-Brown – who was running away and unarmed at the time – had a knife and believed he needed to be ‘contained’.
Following the incident, PC Mahmood was placed on restricted duties, barring him from working on the front line.
Last May, the officer was acquitted of GBH following a trial and has now been cleared of misconduct charges related to force use and adherence to orders and instructions.
There are currently hundreds of police officers who have been suspended on full pay over alleged wrongdoing – at a cost of £2.6million a month
Allegations against the 750 officers instructed to avoid work during investigations include sexual misconduct, brutality, and corruption.
The 2020 incident was referred to the the the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) from the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS).
PC Mahmood is pictured attending Southwark Crown Court last year before being found not guilty of unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm on Jordan Walker-Brown.
Jordan Walker-Brown who was left paralysed when Metropolitan Police constable Imran Mahmood, 36, tasered him during Covid lockdown
The police watchdog probed the matter further, where the incident was later passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
In April 2022, they charged PC Mahmood with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, but he was later acquitted.
However, the IOPC found the officer should face a gross misconduct hearing.
Following an eight day hearing, the misconduct panel found the force used by PC Mahmood was proportionate.
They accepted the officer believed he was facing an imminent threat from Mr Walker-Brown, who he believed was in possession of an offensive weapon.
The panel, consisting of a senior officer and two independent members with legal advisory support, also recognized that PC Mahmood’s belief was legitimately held.
A second allegation relating to PC Mahmood’s use of Taser when Mr Walker-Brown was at a height was also found not proven.
PC Mahmood has been a qualified taser officer since July 2017, with records showing he was up to date with his taser training.
Commander Hayley Sewart, responsible for local policing in north London, said: ‘It is a matter of huge regret that Mr Walker-Brown suffered such serious and significant injuries as a result of this incident.
‘His life has been changed forever and we do not underestimate the impact on both him and his family.’
‘Officers are often required to make split-second decisions in the course of their duties.
Mr Walker-Brown (pictured) was unarmed at the time he was shot with the Taser. He has now been forced to use a wheelchair following the incident in May 2020
‘The panel accepted that PC Mahmood held the belief Mr Walker-Brown posed an immediate threat to his safety and that of his colleagues – and acted on that belief.
‘Having considered the evidence in detail, the panel concluded that PC Mahmood was justified in his actions given the situation he faced.
‘We know our use of Taser is seen by some as a controversial tactic, and incidents like this one raise very legitimate concerns.
‘We have been carrying out significant work with our communities to ensure they are more involved in monitoring how we use it, which includes the introduction of a new scrutiny panel.
‘Taser remains a vital tool, but we will continue to carry out reviews and regularly train our officers so they are using the tactic appropriately.’
