Stun guns fired on 2,500 occasions between April 2018 and March 2019, data shows

This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

The use of Taser stun guns by police forces in England and Wales reached a record high last year.

The weapons were fired on 2,500 occasions between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019, Home Office figures show.

Stun guns, which deliver a high-voltage electric shock, were deployed in 23,000 incidents in the 12 months to the end of March. In most cases, they were aimed at a suspect without being fired, the data shows.

Police deployment of stun guns has risen by more than a third on the year to March 2018 and is double the 2016 total.

The Home Office is providing funding to allow a further 10,000 police officers to carry Tasers.

The weapons were trialled in the UK in 2003 and a roll-out to all forces was completed in 2013.