An off-duty firefighter said "racism is like a disease" within the Met Police after his case collapsed against three officers who reportedly tasered him.

Edric Kennedy-Macfoy made the remark after the misconduct case against three officers accused of discriminatory treatment towards him collapsed.

He said: "I just think if this could happen to me it could happen to anyone. Police can do whatever they like and get away with it.”

Despite receiving an apology from IPCC, Mr Kennedy-Macfoy today said he thought “racism is like a disease within the Met Police and can only be rooted out from within".

In a statement the IPCC said: "We recognise the effect this could have had on both Mr Kennedy-Macfoy and the officers involved, and would like to take this opportunity to apologise to them."

Arrest

The incident occurred in September 2011 - one month after the London riots - during a disturbance with police at Harrow in north London.

Mr Kennedy-Macfoy said he had offered to help - but was charged with obstructing police and resisting arrest.

He was cleared at Brent Magistrates Court in February 2012.

Mr Kennedy-Macfoy went on to make a formal complaint about his treatment.

He claimed he'd been targeted by police because he was black, alleging he was shot with a Taser stun gun, assaulted and verbally abused.

An investigation into the conduct of six officers was launched by Scotland Yard's Directorate of Professional Standards under the supervision of the IPCC.

In March 2013 the watchdog decided to take over the case itself and conduct an independent investigation which it said at the time would be carried out "as quickly as possible".

In January 2014, one of the policeman allegedly involved retired from the Met.