Two police officers accused of firing a Taser and pepper spray at a 93-year-old care home resident who had one leg have pleaded not guilty to assault.

The officers were responding to a call from a care home in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, in June 2022 when Donald Burgess threatened staff with a knife.

Burgess died three weeks later in hospital.

The accused officers, Rachel Comotto, 34 and Stephen Smith, 51, appeared at Westminister magistrates court in London on Thursday morning. They gave their addresses as Hastings police station.

Comotto pleaded not guilty to one count of actual bodily harm with a Taser and Smith pleaded not guilty to two charges of actual bodily harm with a pepper spray and a baton.

They were granted bail by Judge Zani. The case was sent to Southwark crown court, where it will be heard on 23 May.