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| Terror police 'shot' man in coma | Terror police 'shot' man in coma |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man who had gone into a diabetic coma on a bus in Leeds was shot twice with a Taser gun by police who feared he may have been a security threat. | A man who had gone into a diabetic coma on a bus in Leeds was shot twice with a Taser gun by police who feared he may have been a security threat. |
| Nicholas Gaubert has described how the incident happened in July 2005, just a week before the fatal shooting of Brazilian man Jean Charles de Menezes. | Nicholas Gaubert has described how the incident happened in July 2005, just a week before the fatal shooting of Brazilian man Jean Charles de Menezes. |
| Mr Gaubert, 34, said he was suffering severe post-traumatic stress as a result of the shooting. | Mr Gaubert, 34, said he was suffering severe post-traumatic stress as a result of the shooting. |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating. | The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating. |
| Mr Gaubert, who lives in Leeds, said he had now decided to speak out after the Crown Prosecution Service ruled no officers involved should be charged with any criminal offences. | Mr Gaubert, who lives in Leeds, said he had now decided to speak out after the Crown Prosecution Service ruled no officers involved should be charged with any criminal offences. |
| The IPCC is still considering whether any disciplinary matters will be brought against the officers. | The IPCC is still considering whether any disciplinary matters will be brought against the officers. |
| Armed police deployed | Armed police deployed |
| Mr Gaubert said he was on his way to meet friends when he suffered a hypoglycaemic fit on the bus which left him slumped on his seat clutching his rucksack. | Mr Gaubert said he was on his way to meet friends when he suffered a hypoglycaemic fit on the bus which left him slumped on his seat clutching his rucksack. |
| Armed police were called to the bus depot in Headingley and when he failed to respond to their challenges he was shot with the Taser. | |
| He said as this was happening, another officer was pointing a real gun at his head. | He said as this was happening, another officer was pointing a real gun at his head. |
| He was restrained and eventually came round in the police van. | He was restrained and eventually came round in the police van. |
| He said it was only then that the officers realised it was a medical emergency, despite him wearing a medical tag round his neck to warn of his condition, and took him to hospital. | He said it was only then that the officers realised it was a medical emergency, despite him wearing a medical tag round his neck to warn of his condition, and took him to hospital. |
| Mr Gaubert said he was told the police believed he looked "Egyptian". | Mr Gaubert said he was told the police believed he looked "Egyptian". |
| He is completely traumatised by this. He is living with it every day Solicitor Isti Manzoor | He is completely traumatised by this. He is living with it every day Solicitor Isti Manzoor |
| Mr Gaubert's solicitor Isti Manzoor said the incident had clear parallels with the shooting of Mr Menezes at Stockwell tube station and showed there was evidence of a breakdown in communication between the police on the ground and their commanders. | Mr Gaubert's solicitor Isti Manzoor said the incident had clear parallels with the shooting of Mr Menezes at Stockwell tube station and showed there was evidence of a breakdown in communication between the police on the ground and their commanders. |
| Mr Gaubert said: "When I heard about that Brazilian man in London I just thought, 'oh no, that could have been me'." | Mr Gaubert said: "When I heard about that Brazilian man in London I just thought, 'oh no, that could have been me'." |
| Mr Manzoor added: "The evidence is there was an order that officers be deployed and contain the scene. This direct order seems to have been ignored. | Mr Manzoor added: "The evidence is there was an order that officers be deployed and contain the scene. This direct order seems to have been ignored. |
| "I really appreciate that under the circumstances and at that time the police had an enormously difficult job. But Mr Gaubert was alone in a bus depot. | "I really appreciate that under the circumstances and at that time the police had an enormously difficult job. But Mr Gaubert was alone in a bus depot. |
| "He is completely traumatised by this. He is living with it every day." | "He is completely traumatised by this. He is living with it every day." |
| 'Potential security threat' | 'Potential security threat' |
| A statement from the IPCC said: "The IPCC managed an investigation into an incident on 13 July 2005 in which West Yorkshire Police discharged a Taser at a man while he sat on a bus in Leeds. | A statement from the IPCC said: "The IPCC managed an investigation into an incident on 13 July 2005 in which West Yorkshire Police discharged a Taser at a man while he sat on a bus in Leeds. |
| "The man was mistakenly treated as a potential security threat when he was, in fact, in a hypoglycaemic state. The investigation report was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in November 2006. | "The man was mistakenly treated as a potential security threat when he was, in fact, in a hypoglycaemic state. The investigation report was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in November 2006. |
| "The CPS returned its initial decision in February 2007 stating that no officers should be charged with any criminal offences. | "The CPS returned its initial decision in February 2007 stating that no officers should be charged with any criminal offences. |
| "Consideration was then given by the CPS as to whether any offences had been committed under health and safety law. | "Consideration was then given by the CPS as to whether any offences had been committed under health and safety law. |
| "A decision was received recently to advise that no charges would be brought under this legislation. | "A decision was received recently to advise that no charges would be brought under this legislation. |
| "The IPCC must determine whether any disciplinary matters need to be considered against the officers involved. | "The IPCC must determine whether any disciplinary matters need to be considered against the officers involved. |
| "Initial recommendations regarding discipline put forward by the police forces involved have not been agreed by the IPCC and discussions are ongoing. " | "Initial recommendations regarding discipline put forward by the police forces involved have not been agreed by the IPCC and discussions are ongoing. " |
| West Yorkshire Police said the matter was in the hands of the IPCC. | West Yorkshire Police said the matter was in the hands of the IPCC. |