Mental health patient with Samurai sword Tasered twice by Plymouth police
A PATIENT released from a mental health unit after being declared "no risk" was Tasered twice by police after he brandished a Samurai sword in a city street.
Health chiefs have now launched an investigation after it was revealed the man had been granted home leave from the hospital in Ivybridge.
-
Officers were confronted by the man near a bus stop in Devonport Road following calls from worried members of the public.
The man was said to be carrying a sheathed Samurai sword and officers were granted authorisation to use Tasers to detain the man.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, May 26 2013
Police have confirmed the man refused to comply with instructions to drop the sword and was Tasered as he reached Milehouse Road.
However, police said the man then drew his sword from its sheath and began to approach officers, whereupon the man was Tasered a second time.
Following inquiries by police the man was returned to Lee Mill hospital in Ivybridge which had previously declared him "not deemed to be a risk to themselves or others".
The unit offers services to people with mental health, learning disability or substance misuse.
A shocked witness told The Herald she came across the dramatic scene after picking up a friend from Devonport.
The 54-year-old woman, who asked to remain anonymous, and her husband were driving through Stoke Village at around 9am on Sunday.
She said they saw a man "swinging" a sword and cutting through Taser wires attached to him before he was detained.
She said: "It's the first time I've ever seen anything like that in my life. It was a bit frightening and police were very brave." A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said inquiries were "continuing" into the incident.
The spokesman said: "He was Tasered twice because after the first Taser activation he did not drop the weapon and posed a substantial threat."
The Taser incapacitates subjects by passing 50,000 volts of electricity into the body via two 21ft wires. It disrupts the muscles of the offender, with the intention of rendering them incapable of normal movement.
Health bosses say they have launched an investigation into the incident.
Liz Cooney, Director of Governance and Deputy Chief Executive of Plymouth Community Healthcare, said: "Plymouth Community Healthcare can confirm that the individual involved had been granted home leave from the Lee Mill unit following a clinical assessment.
"At the time of granting leave this individual was not deemed to be a risk to themselves or others.
"No persons were harmed during this incident and the individual involved has now been returned to the care of staff at Lee Mill. Plymouth Community Healthcare takes all such incidents very seriously and a full investigation has commenced into the incident."
A 36-year-old man arrested on suspicion of affray has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
Comments
by blogtodi
Wednesday, August 15 2012, 4:18PM
“This guy was probably no more a threat than a druggy/alcoholic with a grudge, and they can cause far more harm than the mentally ill. We're all potenially capable of manic behaviour if given the right trigger.
At least now he's been returned to the care he so obviously needs. As for the rest of us; we'll have to make do and try to stay sane :-)”
by whinger7643
Wednesday, August 15 2012, 3:38PM
“I would agree with you CharlieDodd on condition that if the mentally ill person reoffends, then the doctor who requested the release should be detained for the same time as the patient, or have the patient go live with them and be responsible for them.”
by CharlieDodd
Tuesday, August 14 2012, 6:33PM
“The vast majority of the mentally ill are harmless, but if one commits a violent offence he/she should be sent to a secure unit for a FIXED period of years (set by a judge) at the end of which (and not before), the doctors can apply to a court to have him released.”
by madmax64
Tuesday, August 14 2012, 6:22PM
“Some people on here are saying people with mental health issues are unpredictable,that is a sweeping generalisation and depends on the person and their condition.In regards to this situation clearly a big error was made.That said mental health care can be very tricky,as long as people have learned from this,the better.”
by belly1234
Tuesday, August 14 2012, 6:09PM
“@Lewdownlee
My backward attitude would have prevented this poor man with a mental illness being in a position whereby he could have been fatally shot by armed police. My backward attitude would have prevented him from being tasered by police. My backward attitude would have prevented a 54 year old woman being frightened by witnessing such an incident.
How do you think this poor man feels as a result of his freedom leading to him being tasered by police? Do you think not being detained at the mental health unit has had a positive effect on his life in general and his mental illness specifically?
Keeping him detained until such a time as he is definitely safe for his own good and that of others works for him and us. I am sure he would rather have been detained at the secure unit for a few more weeks or months than being tasered twice by police.
Yep my backward attitude is a real loser.”
by Lewdownlee
Tuesday, August 14 2012, 2:55PM
“@belly1234 they generally do this, though they have to manage it in such a way that encourages people with mental health to seek help. If you start treating it like a prison sick people will feel as though they are in the wrong for having their condition and hide away. Your attitude is backward and what society has been guilty of doing up until recently. Mental health shouldnt be the taboo it is. Just like a broken bone or cancer this can happen to anyone and needs to be spoken about as such.”
by belly1234
Tuesday, August 14 2012, 2:23PM
“As mental health is a fluid thing,ie subject to change at any time, maybe the safest option is just to keep them locked up indefinitely until they can be controlled sufficiently. The alternative is this incident and we are lucky no ten year old kid was in the area on the way back from buying his parents' Sunday newspaper.”
by Axl69
Tuesday, August 14 2012, 1:30PM
“I think somebody needs their head tested !!”
by hanley2010
Tuesday, August 14 2012, 1:26PM
“Mental health is a very complex illness. It is a hard field to be in and the illness can change from day to day. One minute they may be fine and next they can be back into the darkness, very sad for themselves and very hard for those who try to help and relatives.”
by Titch89
Tuesday, August 14 2012, 12:57PM
“@ Whinger 7643 - mental health patients are more likely to harm themselves than others.”