The Police Ombudsman has found that police acted correctly when they used a taser to prevent a woman stabbing herself during an incident at Toome, Co. Antrim, on 1 October 2010.

Police had received a 999 call from a member of the public at about 00:50 hours, reporting that the woman (Woman A) had a knife and was threatening to kill herself.

Local police went to the scene and started to negotiate with Woman A, who appeared to be intoxicated. She continued to threaten to kill herself and refused to put the weapon down.

A police armed response unit was also tasked to the scene, and when it arrived Woman A put the knife down and agreed that an ambulance crew could treat her. Prescription tablets were found lying around her within the house. At the request of the ambulance crew, police moved outside the house.

However, a short time later Woman A again became agitated and insisted that the ambulance crew should leave her house. She slammed the front door shut, locking police outside, but officers could see and hear through downstairs windows that she had again lifted the knife and was threatening to kill herself.

Armed officers then forced their way into the property, at which point Woman A held the knife to her chest and again threatened to take her own life. She ignored police instructions to put the knife down.

A police officer then discharged his Taser, which temporarily disabled Woman A and allowed officers to disarm her. She was subsequently taken from the scene by ambulance to Antrim Area Hospital.

The Police Ombudsman's On Call Senior Investigating Officer was informed of the use of Taser within minutes of the weapon having been used. Meanwhile, police at the scene reported that they were encountering some hostility from people in the area, and were ordered by their control room to collect all relevant material and withdraw from the scene.

The officer who discharged the Taser (Officer A) later informed Police Ombudsman investigators that when he entered Woman A's home he saw her sitting on the living room sofa. He said she was agitated, appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and refused to put the knife down. The officer said he gave a clear warning of his intent to use the Taser.

Statements from other police and civilian witnesses at the scene corroborated Officer A's account.

PSNI training records were also examined and these showed that Officer A was properly trained in the use of Taser and was authorised to carry the weapon at the time of the incident.

The Taser's electronic memory was also examined, and this showed that the device had been activated at 01:56 hours.

The Police Ombudsman, Mr Al Hutchinson, concluded on the basis of the evidence that the use of Taser during the incident had been justified, proportionate and necessary.

He stated: "The evidence supports the conclusion that police dealt with this matter professionally and brought the situation to a satisfactory conclusion."