Police watchdog seeks judicial review of Taser death probe

The chief executive of the Independent Police Complaints Commission is asking the High Court to review the watchdog body's own investigation that cleared police officers of any serious wrongdoing after the death of Jordon Begley in July 2013.

Factory worker, Mr Begley, 23, from Gorton, Manchester, died two hours after being shot at his home with a 50,000 volt Taser stun gun from a distance of 28in (70cm). He was also punched and restrained by armed officers, who believed he had a knife.

The IPCC report said no officers should be prosecuted or face misconduct proceedings.

But last July an inquest jury ruled that Mr Begley had been "inappropriately and unreasonably" Tasered and restrained. The jury found officers were "more concerned with their own welfare" than Mr Begley's.

In the first case of its kind, the IPCC is asking Lord Justice Elias and Mr Justice Males, sitting at London's High Court, to consider the case in a judicial review application.

An IPCC spokeswoman said the application was made after concerns were raised at the inquest about the conduct of officers involved "that may not have been consistent with the IPCC's findings."

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