Two police officers will appear in court charged with assaulting a one-legged, 93-year-old man with dementia who died after being Tasered, pepper sprayed and hit with a baton.

Donald Burgess was at a care home in St Leonards when the Sussex Police officers were called by staff to a report of a resident threatening staff with a knife in June 2022.

Following a six-month investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct PC Stephen Smith and PC Rachel Comotto will appear in court charged with ABH in connection to their use of force.

A Taser, an incapacitant spray, handcuffs and a baton were used on Mr Burgess who was taken to hospital after the incident.

The 93-year-old died in hospital three weeks later, on June 21.

PC Smith, 50, faces two charges of ABH and PC Comotto, 34, one charge.

The pair will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 25.

Watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said evidence did not show the incident caused or contributed to his death.

The criminal proceedings come after the IOPC investigation which began with a voluntary referral from Sussex Police in June 2022.

The investigation was completed six months later with a file of evidence being given to the Crown Prosecution Service in June 2023.

A spokesman for the IOPC said: "The available evidence did not indicate that the officers’ actions caused or contributed to his death.

"We referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service in June 2023 after receiving the full report from the pathologist."

IOPC director Mel Palmer said: “Our thoughts remain with Mr Burgess’s family and everyone affected by this incident. We have kept his family, Sussex Police and the Coroner informed throughout our investigation."