Lawyer says Scotland Yard should investigate actions of machete attack cop Stuart Outten

A lawyer has suggested machete attack cop Stuart Outten be investigated by Scotland Yard after the man who slashed him was jailed.

Mr Outten, 29, was stabbed in the head with a rusty blade after a routine traffic stop descended into violence last year.

On Friday, Muhammad Rodwan was jailed for 16 years for after being found guilty of wounding with intent.

However, he was found not guilty of the more serious charge of attempted murder after the incident in Leyton, east London.

He was also cleared of having an offensive weapon, having argued he used the machete in his gardening work and acted in self-defence.

Sophie Khan, a lawyer who specialises in claims against the police, commented after the Met Police federation suggested it did not accept the verdict with chairman Ken Marsh stating "this incident was an attempted murder".

Ms Khan suggested that the jury found Rodwan not guilty of attempted murder due to force used by Mr Outten, as the pair tussled during the stop and said she was "surprised" the Met had not launched disciplinary action.

Speaking to the Standard, she said the police federation "have to accept the decision" of the jury.

She said there should be an investigation "into whether the officer, the way he felt with the initial stop, was within the way an officer should conduct a stop".

"I understand the officer was seriously hurt injured but we need to look at it from a civil side," she said, detailing this possibility now the criminal case against Rodwan has concluded.

Mr Marsh of the Met Police Federation told the Daily Mail Ms Khan "is condemning a hero who detained a dangerous offender while he was fighting for his life."

Rodwan, who had previous convictions for two machete attacks and rape, hacked at Mr Outten’s head with a 2ft-long blade after his van was stopped for having no insurance last August.

Mrs Justice Carr found Rodwan to be a dangerous offender as she jailed him for 16 years, with a further three years on extended licence.

Rodwan tried to flee when told he was suspected of not having insurance. He then kicked Pc Outten in the chest before punching him twice in the face.

The officer tried to arrest him and he tried to subdue him with a throat hold. Rodwan reached into the back of his van to arm himself with the machete, which he said had been used for gardening work. Rodwan’s dreadlocks were pulled out in the tussle. He screamed and then launched the machete attack on Pc Outten. After landing the blows, Rodwan was caught on camera rushing from the van at the officer with the weapon held aloft.

He was to be stopped in his tracks by Pc Outten’s Taser.

The officer said his first attempt to fire the Taser failed. He told the court he was saved from further injury by the gun having a second bolt.

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