Blind man tasered after police mistook his white stick for Samurai sword

A terrified blind stroke victim was tasered to the ground by police – who thought his thin white stick was a Samurai sword.

Innocent Colin Farmer, 61, who was hit in the back by the stun device, has made a formal complaint and is pursuing legal action.  The incident has sparked a full investigation by Lancashire Constabulary.


Mr Farmer was on his way to meet friends for a drink in a Chorley town centre pub when the taser was fired at him from just feet away by a police officer.
“The whole thing was like being trapped in a nightmare,” said Mr Farmer.

“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 fire a taser at me, though I didn’t know it was a taser at the time.

“I hit my head on the floor, then this policeman came around. I said ‘I’m blind, I’m blind. I’m blind’.
“This policeman knelt on me and dragged my arms round my back and handcuffed me so tight I’ve had bruises since.

After the taser incident Mr Farmer was taken to Chorley Hospital for treatment and was later released.

Chief Superintendent Stuart Williams, who is responsible for policing in Chorley, said: “We received a number of reports that a man was walking through Chorley armed with a Samurai sword and patrols were sent to look for the man.“One of the officers believed he had located the offender. Despite asking the man to stop, he failed to do so and the officer discharged his taser.

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