An IPCC investigation into police officer who fired Taser at partially-sighted man says he should apologise personally to the grandfather.

Colin Farmer Credit: ITV Granada

An IPCC investigation into police officer who fired Taser at partially-sighted man in Lancashire says he has a case to answer for gross misconduct.

PC Stuart Wright faced a gross incompetency meeting after an independent IPCC investigation into his decision to discharge Taser on Colin Farmer in October 2012 in Peter Street in Chorley

Mr Famer, then 63, was walking away from PC Wright and posed no threat, the IPCC investigation found. The officer claimed he mistook him for a sword-carrying man that had been reported to Lancashire Constabulary by members of the public.

Mr Farmer, who had been walking with the aid of a white stick, was handcuffed while lying on the ground and was not released until the arrival of another officer, who PC Wright told: "I think I’ve got the wrong person”. The IPCC report found that PC Wright

• ignored instructions and radio transmissions about how officers were to search the area and respond to any sightings of a man with a sword • failed to take reasonable steps to ascertain if Mr Farmer was carrying a sword prior to Taser discharge

• failed to comply with local and national guidelines in relation to the use of Taser • used a level of force on Mr Farmer that was unnecessary and disproportionate to the circumstances