A PRISONER Tasered in his cell at Burnley police station has claimed officers used ‘disproportionate and unnecessary’ force to detain him.

Ben Monks, who is currently serving a prison sentence in Manchester, has made an official complaint over his treatment when he was arrested last September.

He has now instructed a solicitor to act on his behalf and the complaint has been passed by Lancashire police to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Police said the 20-year-old was arrested after midnight on September 15 in Burnley.

He was transferred to the custody suite at Burnley police station where officers tried to search him. But a struggle ensued and officers discharged the Taser to gain control of the situation. Monks was subsequently charged with nine separate offences including Section 4 Public Order and possession of an offensive weapon, police said.

He was remanded to appear before Burnley magistrates where he pleaded guilty and was later sentenced to four months in prison.

The IPCC investigation will determine whether the use of Taser was ‘proportionate’ and ‘necessary’.

IPCC Commissioner for Lancashire James Dipple-Johnstone said: “We will look at all the available evidence to decide if in this instance the use of Taser was appropriate and that all guidelines and regulations covering use of the weapon were observed by the officers in the custody suite.”

Lancashire police is also currently being investigated after a blind Chorley man was tasered after officers allegedly mistook his white stick as a samauri sword.

A spokesman for Lancashire police, said: “Lancashire Constabulary has referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission a complaint made by a member of the public following his arrest for numerous offences last September. The IPCC has chosen to carry out an independent investigation into the circumstances and the constabulary will fully cooperate with them throughout their investigation.”

Under Home office guidelines, officers can deploy a Taser in incidents where the use of firearms is not authorised, but where they are facing violence or threats of violence of such severity that they would need to use force to protect the public, themselves or the subject.