'Super-Taser' shotgun bullet that can knock down criminals from 100ft assessed by Home Office

For the bobby who wants to dish out a little more shock and awe, help could soon be at hand.



A 'super Taser' with a range five times longer than the conventional version is being considered for police use.



The powerful stun gun fires a 500-volt projectile into a suspect from up to 100ft away.



Threatening: The electronic Taser bullet is fired from a regular shotgun and can incapacitate criminals from 100 feet

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The barbed electrode propelled out of the gun delivers a shock lasting 20 seconds - four times longer than the Tasers currently in use.



The Extended Range Electronic Projectile weapons, which are already used in the US, are being evaluated by the Home Office for British police forces.



Conventional Tasers fire barbs attached by 21ft long wires.



They deliver a shock of 50,000 volts for five seconds, although an officer can hold down the trigger to incapacitate a target for longer.



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But the latest weapon operates more like a conventional shotgun. It fires wireless rounds which can stop a suspect from 100ft away. Barbs hook into the skin or clothing and deliver a 20-second shock.



The modified shotgun is capable of firing five such 'bullets'. If the suspect tries to pull the device off, 'reflex engagement electrodes' automatically send another shock through the subject's hand.



Footage of the device being used on volunteers shows them groaning in pain, their muscles in spasms as they slump to the floor.



On the Discovery Channel's Future Weapons programme, one was asked how the shock had felt. 'Like my toes curled back to touch my behind,' he said. 'There's no way I could fight through that.'



But critics fear the 'super Taser', could cause serious injuries.



Amnesty International claims 334 people in the US died between 2001 and 2008 after being hit by electroshock weapons.



Spokesman Oliver Sprague said: 'Amnesty would be very alarmed if the Home Office were to consider authorising this weapon to police officers in the UK.'



But its manufacturer, Taser, said there was no evidence linking Tasers to any deaths.



Conventional Tasers have been used in around 6,000 incidents in England and Wales since they were introduced in 2004.



A Home Office spokesman said: 'The Government and the police have no current plans to introduce XREP Tasers into service.



'The Home Office Scientific Development Branch is considering the XREP as part of its on-going remit to evaluate new technologies.'