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Veteran Dies After Being Tasered By Police
A former soldier who died after being Tasered by police had suffered with mental health problems after leaving the military.
The 43-year-old man has been named as Spencer Beynon, who had previously served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Police were called to a street in Llanelli, South Wales, following reports from locals expressing concern about a man's behaviour.
Eyewitnesses said they saw someone armed with a knife looking "totally out of it" before stabbing a dog and then himself.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) confirmed that a Taser was used by officers and the man died shortly afterwards.
Friend Brendan Goddard said:
"Spencer was a lovely bloke. I've known him most of my life. He was a good guy but I think he had been struggling with his mental health since leaving the Army. Since he's come back home he's not been the same."
In December 2007, he was welcomed back to Wales along with his regiment when hundreds of people lined the streets for a homecoming parade from Iraq.
Emergency crews were called to the scene in Maes Y Bwlch in the Morfa area of Llanelli at around 7.35pm on Tuesday.
Mr Beynon was a former member of the Royal Welsh who had lost comrades in a roadside bomb attack in Basra and had been left traumatised by his experiences.
Local councillor Robert Davies said:
"I think he found it hard coming out of the Army. So many of our soldiers who serve their country are forgotten about."
An IPCC spokesman said:
"Officers attended and, during engagement with the man, it is understood a Taser was discharged. The man became unresponsive and was subsequently pronounced dead. The IPCC has begun an independent investigation."
Cover photo courtesy of Ray Forster via Flickr.
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