A 20-YEAR-OLD man from Broxburn who was subdued by police using a 50,000 volt Taser gun has appeared in court charged with abduction.
Rafal Swiderski was at Livingston Sheriff Court on Monday after an incident at a property in the tow
n's East Main Street last Saturday in which he allegedly became violent.
He was taken to St John's Hospital in Livingston, where he was assessed by medical staff before being released and then charged in connection with the incident.
He was also charged with a breach of the peace during a short court appearance. Swiderski made no plea or declaration and was remanded in custody.
This is only the second time a Taser gun has been used in West Lothian. The first time was when a man armed with two machetes rampaged through a pub on the same Broxburn street three years ago.
A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: "The use of Tasers is only undertaken in circumstances where a suspect presents a clear risk to the public, the officers in attendance or even themselves.
"Before a Taser is discharged a suspect will be given clear warning to cease their actions and surrender. As is standard practice, we will review the use of Tasers during this (latest] incident to ensure all necessary protocols were followed."
Only authorised firearms officers carry Tasers. They have to be specifically authorised on an incident by incident basis to remove them from their vehicles and carry them.
Tasers have been at the centre of a recent political row since Strathclyde Police issued 30 beat officers with the weapons in South Lanarkshire as part of a pilot scheme.
Amnesty International has claimed the pilot scheme breaks international law and has written to the Scottish Government requesting an immediate end to the trial.
But Livingston MSP Angela Constance has backed local police in their decision to use one. She said: "Police officers have a duty to protect the public and also have the right to protect themselves from assault.
"Every Year 4,000 officers are assaulted in Scotland. Police officers do a difficult and, at times, dangerous job on our behalf and they deserve our support.
"Tasers can be used in extreme cases where force is necessary to protect the public, or indeed the individual causing concern."
Lothian and Borders Police Taser guns have a 50,000 volts charge and can be used up to more than ten metres from their target.
The guns deliver a jolt of electricity through a pair of wires, which stuns and immobilises its target regardless of pain tolerance or mental focus.
