Man with knife is tasered three times

A MAN had to be tasered three times after he brandished a knife in front of police officers.

Stephen Coyle, of Haslingden, pulled the blade out of his kitchen drawer when officers entered his home on December 13 of last year, Blackburn Magistrates’ Court heard. Prosecutor Malcolm Isherwood said police had been called to the 58-year-old’s home by his niece following an altercation.

Mr Isherwood said: “The officer approached him and explained why he was there. He said ‘get the f*** out of my house’.

“The defendant made a movement towards the rear door then suddenly turned, opened the kitchen drawer and removes a large kitchen knife.

“The defendant began to move towards the officer and his colleague. The knife was raised in an aggressive and threatening manner.

“The officer shouted ‘put the knife down’ but he didn’t. The officer, fearing for his safety and his colleague’s, used his Taser on the defendant.

“It didn’t have any effect so his colleague used hers; she had to use it twice before it had an effect.”

Defence solicitor Ian Huggan said the incident ‘wasn’t a stand off’.

“They are faced with someone who has produced a knife,” he said. “The Taser is wholly justified but they then seem to over egg it.

“He is at one end of the room and makes a very brief movement towards them and is Tasered. Yes there is some fear or distress but they have a Taser and use it.”

Coyle, of Hud Rake, pleaded guilty to affray. The court heard he had spent almost two months on remand since the incident.

He was given a 12-month community order, fined

£90 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £90 victim surcharge.