The police watchdog has written to a chief constable expressing concern over comments in an email about the Hillsborough disaster that were “at best ill-judged and at worst offensive and upsetting”.

British police faced more questions today over their use of Tasers during the violent end to the stand-off with gunman Raoul Moat.

British police fired a Taser stun gun during the dramatic last stand by gunman Raoul Moat, Northumbria Police Temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim said today.