Woman sergeant is cleared after tasering her race relations adviser
A FEMALE police officer who tasered a race relations adviser from her force after she mistook him for a wanted man was dramatically cleared of assault last night.
A judge found that Acting Sergeant Claire Boddie, 47, had acted in self- defence when she used the 50,000volt immobilising weapon on Judah Adunbi.
But the officer, who faces a disciplinary hearing, could still be kicked out of the Avon and Somerset force if found guilty of misconduct.
Salisbury Magistrates’ Court heard Sgt Boddie suspected Mr Adunbi, 64, was another man, Royston McCalla, who had been due in court on drugs charges.
Mr Adunbi, who had previously been mistaken for McCalla, told her he wasn’t the man she was after. He became frustrated and started swearing at the officer and her partner, PC Darren Weston, when she pressed him for his name.
Mr Adunbi, founder of a group to improve relations between the force and the African-Caribbean community, refused to identify himself and implored the officers to leave him alone.
A scuffle ensued and Sgt Boddie fired the Taser. Mr Adunbi told the court his head felt like it was ‘frying’.
The officer denied assault, saying her actions were lawful as she saw Mr Adunbi punch PC Weston and felt threatened by him.
The incident was caught on body cameras worn by the officers. A judge said footage helped him decide Sgt Boddie acted lawfully.
Afterwards, Mr Adunbi said: ‘I hope the fact that this prosecution was brought will mean that other black people in Bristol will not be tasered in the face when out walking their dog and that the police will finally realise that not all black people look or act the same.’