Reports Of ‘Fireball’ After Officers Use Device During Emergency Call

By Rob Dixon

A 32-year-old man has suffered serious injuries after he was tasered by police officers in Plymouth while holding a can of inflammable liquid.

The officers were investigating an emergency call on Thursday (April 18th) when one of them deployed the device against Andrew Pimlott, with eyewitnesses telling the media that the man caught fire and was soon covered in flames.

Mr Pimlott was taken to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol following the incident and is receiving treatment in the site’s burns unit.

Legal specialists at Irwin Mitchell represent people who have suffered serious physical and psychological injury as a result of the deployment of tasers, as well as those hurt as a result of neglect or the use of excessive force.

Ifti Manzoor, a lawyer who specialises in actions against the police, said: “The reports of this incident are very worrying and it will be vital that every effort can be made to develop a full understanding of what happened.

“The deployment of a taser is a significant step for an officer to take and we have seen numerous examples when their use has gone on to have a significant impact on those they have been used against.

“We have repeatedly urged that a thorough review is undertaken to each and every case in which tasers are used, so forces can look to learn lessons from when they have been brought into use. It is vital that there is a full and thorough investigation as to how the use of taser was justified.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in relation to Actions Against The Police