A BUNGLING policeman tasered a blind man in the street after mistaking his white stick – for a Samurai SWORD. He struck Colin Farmer, 61, in the back with the 50,000-volt stun gun before handcuffing him. The shocked man had been on his way to his local pub to meet friends. Cops had earlier received reports of a man roaming Chorley town centre, Lancs, armed with a sword. A patrolman spotted stoke victim Mr Farmer shuffling down the street with his white stick and wrongly assumed he was the swordsman.
He said: “The whole thing was like being trapped in a nightmare. “I didn’t even know the police were there. I heard this man shouting. I thought they were shouting at some people. I certainly didn’t know they were police - and I certainly didn’t know they were shouting at me. I thought I was going to be attacked by some hooligans. The next thing they fired a Taser at me, though I didn’t know it was a taser at the time.
“This policeman knelt on me and dragged my arms round my back and handcuffed me so tight I’ve had bruises since.” He was taken to Chorley Hospital for treatment and later released. Mr Farmer, who has suffered two strokes, added: “I walk at a snail’s pace. They could have walked past me, driven past me in the van, or said drop your weapon. It’s a sad excuse. They wouldn’t even stop when I said I’m blind. I was absolutely terrified. I thought any second I’m going to have another stroke and this one will kill me.”
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