Tasered Man 'Up In Flames'

An Australian man whom police were attempting to restraint has literally 'gone up in flames' after being tasered.

In a development that will boost the case for UK critics of the high-powered, non-lethal device, the man received third-degree burns to about 10% of his body.

He had been sniffing petrol for its 'kick' when he was hit by the high voltage charge and then burst into flames as he charged towards them brandishing a bottle of fuel.

The man, identified by his family as 36-year-old Ronald Mitchell, was in critical condition at a Perth hospital in Western Australia state.

Police said they were responding to a complaint at a house when Mitchell ran outside carrying a cigarette lighter and a plastic bottle containing what they believed was fuel.

When he refused to stop running towards them, one officer tasered him, police said.

The man was immediately engulfed in flames, but the officer threw him to the ground and smothered the blaze with his hands, the statement said.

Earlier this year, UK statistics were published which showed a rapid increase in the use of tasers by police.

They were used 187 times and discharged 35 times by specially trained units in England and Wales over four months.

Figures from the period 1 September 2008 to 31 December 2008 showed an increase in use following a successful trial in 10 forces across England and Wales to extend the use of tasers beyond dedicated firearms officers to specially trained police response officers.

The statistics revealed a total of 4,046 uses and 1181 discharges, much to the concern of campaigners against such use.

See: Increase In Taser Use Follows Rollout To More Officers

(BMcC/KMcA)