Responding to the number of times Northumbria police have used the Taser, Amnesty International Arms Programme Director Oliver Sprague said:

“Since we don’t know how or when the Taser was used, it’s impossible for us to assess whether they were used correctly. However, Northumbria police’s use of the Taser 704 times within the space of three years does seem extremely high in comparison to other UK forces.

“Tasers are dangerous weapons and should only be used in a very limited set of circumstances in situations where there is an immediate and serious threat to life or of very serious injury.

“Police officers across the country are all supposed to be operating under the same strict rules when using the Taser. So the figures should be fairly consistent across the UK. Given this alarming disparity, Amnesty would question if Northumbria officers are using the weapon responsibly.”