Met officer who left man paralysed found not guilty of assault

A Met officer has been found not guilty of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm following an incident in Haringey in 2020, a statement said.

PC Imran Mahmood, 36, was acquitted following a trial at Southwark Crown Court.

According to reports, Mahmood wept in the dock at the court as the jury's verdict was delivered.

The officer inflicted the injuries on Jordan Walker-Brown, 23, during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Walker-Brown suffered life-changing injuries when he fell from a wall after being Tasered by Mahmood.

Mahmood, who is attached to the Met Taskforce, had pleaded not guilty on 28 April 2022 to grievous bodily harm against Walker-Brown, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the Met said in a statement.

Earlier, Mahmood claimed that he had feared Walker-Brown had a knife and believed he needed to be stopped.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it was looking into whether PC Mahmood should face disciplinary action.

"I feel like he won before he got here, it's rigged, I was fighting against something that is bigger than everything. But I'm over it, it's done. Win or lose, it's a losing battle," Walker-Brown told reporters after the verdict.

On the day of the incident, Mahmood and eight other officers were in a police vehicle when they saw Mr Walker-Brown walking down the road.

According to the officer, Walker-Brown was wearing a small bag, often used to conceal weapons or drugs, around his waist.

The accused officer and a colleague began following him on foot when Walker-Brown started running away from them, climbing on top of a wheelie bin and scrambling on to an adjacent wall.

At this point Mahmood Tasered the victim, who fell and hit his head on a footpath, the court heard.

"We note the jury's decision and acknowledge the devastating impact this incident has had on Mr Walker-Brown, who sustained life-changing injuries," said Amanda Rowe, director of the IOPC.

"We will now be considering evidence from the trial and liaising with the Metropolitan Police regarding disciplinary proceedings for potential breaches of police professional standards."

Detective chief superintendent Caroline Haines, who is responsible for policing in Enfield and Haringey, said: “My thoughts are with Walker-Brown and his family whose lives have been changed forever. I don’t underestimate the effect this incident will have had on them and have offered to meet with them when appropriate to listen to their concerns and discuss the matter in further detail. It is always a matter of deep regret when an individual comes to harm following contact with police and officers know that in such circumstances their actions will be subject to the highest scrutiny.

“I am also very aware of the significant impact this incident has had on the wider community. We know that the outcome may reignite those feelings, which is why we have been working closely with key members of the community and partner agencies across the borough to listen to concerns and build on our existing relationships with all communities."