Man accidentally tasered in the groin by police

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

A man is threatening to sue police after an officer accidentally discharged a 50,000 volt TASER — into his GROIN.

Peter Cox, 49, was on his way to do some landscaping work at the home of a friend when he noticed a police patrol car was following him.

He pulled over outside friend Donna Allen’s house in Bridgwater, Somerset, but after a short conversation with police officers collapsed to the ground after being shot in the groin.

Police today confirmed the Taser weapon was accidentally discharged and an investigation was underway.

Eyewitnesses say the male officer pointed the taser gun at Peter Cox ”for more than 20 seconds” before lowering the weapon.

But the weapon discharged ”accidentally” and Peter dropped to the ground in agony after one electric probe missed his manhood by three inches.

Unemployed Peter said: ”I got out of the car and asked the police what they wanted. I then asked them to park on the other side of the road because we were working on the front garden.

”The officer didn’t say anything, but he got out of the car and pulled out a taser and pointed it at me.

”I didn’t know this at the time so I just went on with what I was doing and got a bag of stone for the garden out of the boot. Then he shot me.

”I wasn’t looking but Donna says he had it pointed at me for 20 seconds before it went off.

”I was really shocked and I didn’t know what was going on. I got one in my groin and one in my ankle.

”It really hurt. It just stunned me completely and felt like someone was stabbing me with a fork all over my body.”

The electric taser probes hit Peter in the groin, missing his penis by three inches, and his right ankle.

Paramedics treated Peter, who suffers from debilitating Guillain Barré syndrome, on the front lawn of the property.

Father-of-one Peter denies acting aggressively towards the officers and was completely dumbfounded as to why he was tasered.

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A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police said that officers had wanted to speak to Mr Cox as they suspected the BMW he was driving was not insured.

But Peter called his insurers immediately after the incident and it was confirmed the car had valid insurance.

Peter now plans to sue the constabulary for damages and is seeking the advice of solicitors.

He added: ”After it happened the driver of the police car came up to me and said, ‘The reason we wanted to talk to you was because your car came up as no insurance.’

”But I checked and there definitely is valid insurance.

”To this date they haven’t contacted me or any of the other witnesses or neighbours. I would like an apology.”

Donna Allen, 47, added: ”When I asked them if they were going to take statements the sergeant actually said to me they wouldn’t need to because the officer admitted accidently discharging the gun.”

A statement from Avon and Somerset police said: ”The taser is a hand-held device which discharges an electrical current to temporarily incapacitate a person.

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”Its effects are short-lived but are designed to give officers control of the offender and the situation.

”Often the threat of using a taser is an effective deterrent to calm an aggressive suspect and as a result frequently it’s not necessary to actually discharge it.

”On Tuesday morning officers stopped a man in Bridgwater suspected to be driving a vehicle without insurance.

”The man appeared to become aggressive and the officer removed his taser in accordance with protocol. On lowering the taser it was accidentally discharged.

”Police are now looking into this incident.”

Annie Mullins

Twitter: @swns

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Discussion

Russell

Yes officer. Anything you want officer. How high officer?

Muscular man with tattooed arms = contempt of cop before they even get within pistol range.

How many times has this officer been assaulted in his career?

Because he has developed quite a twitch.
Russell

Yes officer. Anything you want officer. How high officer?

Muscular man with tattooed arms = contempt of cop before they even get within pistol range.

How many times has this officer been assaulted in his career?

Because he has developed quite a twitch.
ran

As always the polie want you to take responsibility for your actions, however when it comes to them they avoid responsibility to lawful people.
ran

As always the polie want you to take responsibility for your actions, however when it comes to them they avoid responsibility to lawful people.
Judge Doody

His name is Peter Cox and he was tasered in the groin? For reals?
Judge Doody

His name is Peter Cox and he was tasered in the groin? For reals?
AC

Right. "Accidentally" tasered in the jewels. Repeatedly, right? I foresee a court ruling it to be a self-inflicted injury, and then fining him.
AC

Right. "Accidentally" tasered in the jewels. Repeatedly, right? I foresee a court ruling it to be a self-inflicted injury, and then fining him.
Wat

Leave it to the "professionals" to "accidentally" discharge a weapon. FACT: Someone has to actually pull the blasted trigger….It won't go off by itself……Cops are never around when you need one and always in the way when their not needed. Even if they show up, like this one they always seem to screw it up. maybe a higher intelligence level employees are what is required…you think??????
Wat

Leave it to the "professionals" to "accidentally" discharge a weapon. FACT: Someone has to actually pull the blasted trigger….It won't go off by itself……Cops are never around when you need one and always in the way when their not needed. Even if they show up, like this one they always seem to screw it up. maybe a higher intelligence level employees are what is required…you think??????
Ken

And the reason that the taser was accidentally pulled in the first place? When the revolution comes to your area remember which side the cops are on.
Ken

And the reason that the taser was accidentally pulled in the first place? When the revolution comes to your area remember which side the cops are on.
Not another 'Br

It's interesting that this officer has admitted 'accidently' discharging an offensive weapon. The fact that no Statements were needed by the Police should make a claim for compensation easy. If I were Mr Cox, i'd be asking my Solicitor to obtain a statement from the Police regarding all events. Including why an officer, with all the state of the art links to Insurance Databases would believe Mr Cox was driving an uninsured vehicle in the first place (It should be easy to determine if such a search was made).

So it appears we have the driver of a vehicle being stopped without reason, the 'accidental' discharge of a tazer and the lack of statements capturing the events leading up to & following the incapacitation of Mr Cox. I suspect a decent pay off will be offered outside of the courtroom & no further action taken against the Officer involved.
Not another 'Br

It's interesting that this officer has admitted 'accidently' discharging an offensive weapon. The fact that no Statements were needed by the Police should make a claim for compensation easy. If I were Mr Cox, i'd be asking my Solicitor to obtain a statement from the Police regarding all events. Including why an officer, with all the state of the art links to Insurance Databases would believe Mr Cox was driving an uninsured vehicle in the first place (It should be easy to determine if such a search was made).

So it appears we have the driver of a vehicle being stopped without reason, the 'accidental' discharge of a tazer and the lack of statements capturing the events leading up to & following the incapacitation of Mr Cox. I suspect a decent pay off will be offered outside of the courtroom & no further action taken against the Officer involved.
Tom Dick

That's funny lol
Tom Dick

That's funny lol

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Man accidentally tasered in the groin by police

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