Latest news with #elderlyabuse
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Cops CLEARED of assault after video showed them pepper-spray & Taser amputee, 92, who died 3 weeks later
TWO cops have been cleared of assault after they pepper-sprayed and Tasered a 92-year-old amputee who died weeks later. Bodycam footage showed Donald Burgess screaming out during the horror at Park Beck Residential Care Home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. 8 8 8 PC Rachel Comotto and PC Stephen Smith were called to the residence after Donald poked a worker in the stomach with a butter knife. Smith claimed he did not know the one-legged pensioner was disabled - despite him sitting in a wheelchair - while Comotto denied she was "trigger-happy". The pair have now been found cleared of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following a trial. Southwark Crown Court heard one minute and 23 seconds elapsed between the cops arriving and Donald being Tasered. Bodycam showed him clutching a specially adapted butter knife while sat in his wheelchair when Smith and Comotto entered his room. PC Smith can be heard saying: 'Put it down mate. Come on, Donald, don't be silly. "We can solve it without having to resort to as you're told." He then "emptied all or almost all of his canister" of pepper spray in Donald's face, the court was told. The footage also showed Smith making his way towards the pensioner with his baton extended before striking him. Comotto then deploys her 50,000-volt Taser as Donald screams out in pain before the officers took the knife from him. After shooting him, PC Comotto asked Donald how he was feeling, leading him to reply: "I'm dying, I'm dying." The officers were later seen joking about the shocking incident, jurors heard. 8 8 8 In separate bodycam, Comotto is seen laughing and asking Smith: "Oh my God, is there any left in your can?" Smith replies: "Probably not." The court heard Donald suffered from multiple health conditions including diabetes and carotid artery disease. He was taken to hospital after the incident and died 22 days later after contracting Covid. The court was told the pair were "not responsible for his death". Police had been called to the care home on June 21, 2022, after Donald was seen poking a care worker in the stomach with a knife after flicking food at her. He threatened staff with the blade and told them he would take pleasure in murdering them. Managers wheeled him back to his room and tried for 30 minutes to calm him down before calling 999. The officers were dispatched under a grade one call, meaning it was treated as the highest level of emergency. Jurors were told the care home specialised in support for people with dementia but Donald had not been diagnosed with the disease. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC said it "ought to have been obvious by the fact he had one leg that this was a man who wasn't going to be mobile". He added: "This was an elderly, vulnerable man who may not have understood what was going on. "Rather than being met with understanding and sympathy, he was confronted by irritation and annoyance on the part of the defendants." But in their defence, the officers claimed Donald was clutching the knife with a "tight grip". Smith also said he only realised the pensioner was in a wheelchair after he was wheeled out following the incident. He denied two counts of assault by using Pava spray and a baton, while Comotto denied one charge of assault by discharging her Taser. 8 8
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southern California woman stole over $2.2 million from elderly victims; spent money on luxury cars, homes
A California woman was sentenced to prison for stealing over $2.2 million from elderly victims. Julie Anne Darrah, 52, was an investment adviser who used her position to target elderly clients at her firm, including some who were receiving end-of-life care, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Darrah stole the funds by gaining control of her client's assets and, without their knowledge, liquidated their security holdings and transferred the proceeds to accounts under her control. She convinced the victims to sign documents that gave her power over their accounts including being made the trustee of their trusts, added as a signatory on their bank accounts or gaining power of attorney over their brokerage accounts. As their investment advisor, Darrah could freely transfer their money to other bank accounts, including some that she owned, court documents said. Prosecutors said Darrah took advantage of the trust her victims placed in her, often convincing them she would take care of them in their older years like a daughter. 'She used this trust to convince them to sign the documents that she then used to steal money from them,' court documents said. From around November 2016 to July 2023, Darrah stole approximately $2.25 million through this scheme. She used the money to purchase luxury vehicles, properties, pay personal expenses and operate other business ventures. Prosecutors said some of her victims were left in desperate circumstances, without the money to pay for end-of-life care, when the fraud was discovered. 'She had also convinced a company identified in the plea agreement as 'Business Victim 1,' a Minnesota-based investment advisor firm, to acquire VFM based on false and misleading statements and the concealment of material facts, including not telling that firm about her theft of individual client funds,' court documents said. 'After the fraud was discovered, Business Victim 1 incurred approximately $5.4 million in losses.' In October 2023, the SEC filed a civil complaint against Darrah in connection with the scheme. In December 2024, Darrah was found liable to pay $2,416,511, including interest. On March 4, she pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. On May 19, she was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for her crimes. Anyone aged 60 and older who may have been a victim or knows someone who has been a victim of financial fraud can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311. 'Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses,' the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
News.com.au
20-05-2025
- News.com.au
Horrifying moment cops pepper-spray and taser 92-year-old amputee
This is the moment two police officers pepper-sprayed and tasered a 92-year-old amputee who died three weeks later in hospital, a court heard. PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto are accused of assaulting Donald Burgess at Park Beck Residential Care Home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. The officers had been called to the residence after Donald poked a worker in the stomach with a butter knife, jurors heard. When Smith and Comotto entered his room, bodycam footage showed him sat in a wheelchair still clutching the serrated blade. PC Smith can be heard saying: 'Put it down mate. Come on, Donald, don't be silly.' 'We can solve it without having to resort to this… Do as you're told.' He then 'emptied all or almost all of his canister' of pepper spray in Donald's face, Southwark Crown Court was told. The footage also showed Smith making his way towards the pensioner with his baton extended before striking him. Comotto then deploys her Taser as Donald screams out in pain before the officers took the knife from him. Jurors heard the pair used 'unjustified and unlawful' force after entering the wheelchair-bound pensioner's room. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC said one minute and 23 seconds elapsed between the police arriving and Donald being tasered. He added: 'It ought to have been obvious by the fact he had one leg that this was a man who wasn't going to be mobile.' 'This was an elderly, vulnerable man who may not have understood what was going on.' 'Rather than being met with understanding and sympathy, he was confronted by irritation and annoyance on the part of the defendants.' The court heard Donald suffered from multiple health conditions including diabetes and carotid artery disease. He was taken to hospital after the incident and died 22 days later after contracting Covid. Jurors heard police had been called to the care home on June 21, 2022, after Donald was seen poking a care worker in the stomach with a knife after flicking food at her. Managers wheeled him back to his room and tried for 30 minutes to calm him down before calling 999. The officers were dispatched under a grade one call, meaning it was treated as the highest level of emergency. When Smith and Comotto arrived, they allegedly did not speak to the staff or explain to Donald why they were there. Instead, Smith told him: 'Do you want to put the knife down or you will be sprayed or tasered. Those are the options.' Jurors were told the care home specialised in support for people with dementia but Donald had been diagnosed with the disease. Mr Jarvis said: 'I want to make it clear - these defendants are not responsible for his death.' 'He was an elderly gentleman who was unwell.' But he added: 'The force used was unnecessary and excessive in the circumstances. 'The defendants assaulted Mr Burgess, causing actual bodily harm.' Smith, 51, denies two counts of assault by using Pava spray and a baton, and Comotto denies one charge of assault by discharging her taser. The trial continues.
The Guardian
19-05-2025
- The Guardian
Police pepper-sprayed and Tasered 93-year-old disabled man, court hears
A 93-year-old disabled man was sprayed in the face with synthetic pepper spray before being shot by a Taser and hit with a baton by police officers, a court has heard. Donald Burgess was allegedly assaulted by PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto after officers responded to a call at the care home he resided at in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, on 21 June 2022. He was taken to hospital after the incident and later contracted Covid. He died 22 days later. Staff called police after Burgess, who had one leg, was seen poking a care worker in the stomach with a cutlery knife after flicking food at her. Managers wheeled him back to his room and tried for half an hour to calm him before calling 999. The officers were dispatched under a grade one call, meaning it was treated as the highest level of emergency. Prosecutors claim the officers used 'unjustified and unlawful' force within seconds of entering the pensioner's room. Southwark crown court was told on Monday that 1 minute and 23 seconds elapsed between the officers arriving and Burgess being shot with the Taser. Smith, 51, denies two counts of assault by using Pava spray and a baton, and Comotto denies one charge of assault by discharging her Taser. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC said Burgess was sitting in his wheelchair holding a small serrated cutlery knife when the officers entered the room. They did not speak to the staff or explain to Burgess why they were there, jurors heard. Instead, Smith told him: 'Do you want to put the knife down or you will be sprayed or Tasered. Those are the options.' Footage from body-worn cameras played to the jury showed Smith then discharging the spray directly into Burgess's face. 'Comments made by Mr Smith suggest he emptied all of the canister into Mr Burgess's face,' Jarvis said. Seconds later, Smith drew his baton and struck Burgess. Comotto deployed her Taser and Burgess cried out in pain. The officers took the knife from him. Jurors were told there was nobody within arm's reach of Burgess at the time and it should have been clear he was not mobile. 'This was an elderly, vulnerable man who may not have understood what was going on,' Jarvis said. 'Rather than being met with understanding and sympathy, he was confronted by irritation and annoyance on the part of the defendants.' Burgess, who suffered from multiple health conditions including diabetes and carotid artery disease, had been a resident at the home since 2018. Jarvis told the jury: 'I want to make it clear – these defendants are not responsible for his death.' The trial was adjourned until Tuesday.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- The Sun
Moment cops pepper-spray and Taser 92-year-old amputee who died three weeks after ‘assault' at care home
THIS is the moment two cops pepper-sprayed and Tasered a 92-year-old amputee who died three weeks later in hospital, a court heard. PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto are accused of assaulting Donald Burgess at Park Beck Residential Care Home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. 8 8 8 The officers had been called to the residence after Donald poked a worker in the stomach with a butter knife, jurors heard. When Smith and Comotto entered his room, bodycam footage showed him sat in a wheelchair still clutching the serrated blade. PC Smith can be heard saying: 'Put it down mate. Come on, Donald, don't be silly. "We can solve it without having to resort to as you're told." He then "emptied all or almost all of his canister" of pepper spray in Donald's face, Southwark Crown Court was told. The footage then showed Smith making his way towards the pensioner with his baton extended before striking him. Comotto then deploys her Taser as Donald screams out in pain before the officers took the knife from him. Jurors heard the officers used "unjustified and unlawful" force after entering the wheelchair-bound pensioner's room. Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC said one minute and 23 seconds elapsed between the officers arriving and Donald being Tasered. He added: "It ought to have been obvious by the fact he had one leg that this was a man who wasn't going to be mobile. "This was an elderly, vulnerable man who may not have understood what was going on. "Rather than being met with understanding and sympathy, he was confronted by irritation and annoyance on the part of the defendants." The court heard Donald suffered from multiple health conditions including diabetes and carotid artery disease. He was taken to hospital after the incident and died 22 days later after contracting Covid. Jurors heard police had been called to the care home on June 21, 2022, after Donald was seen poking a care worker in the stomach with a knife after flicking food at her. Managers wheeled him back to his room and tried for 30 minutes to calm him down before calling 999. The officers were dispatched under a grade one call, meaning it was treated as the highest level of emergency. When Smith and Comotto arrived, they allegedly did not speak to the staff or explain to Donald why they were there. Instead, Smith told him: "Do you want to put the knife down or you will be sprayed or tasered. Those are the options." Jurors were told the care home specialised in support for people with dementia but Donald had been diagnosed with the disease. Mr Jarvis said: "I want to make it clear - these defendants are not responsible for his death. "He was an elderly gentleman who was unwell." But he added: "The force used was unnecessary and excessive in the circumstances. "The defendants assaulted Mr Burgess, causing actual bodily harm." Smith, 51, denies two counts of assault by using Pava spray and a baton, and Comotto denies one charge of assault by discharging her Taser. The trial continues. 8 8 8 8 8
