Man dies after becoming unwell in custody - Metropolitan Police Service, March 2018

On 30 March 2018 Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers stopped and searched a man. They found a knife in a bag in the boot of his car and the man was arrested and taken to Walworth Police Station.

While being booked into custody he appeared to swallow something. An ambulance was called as a precautionary measure. During the journey to hospital the man complained of feeling unwell, and shortly after arriving at hospital he went into convulsions before becoming unresponsive.

He was admitted to intensive care and died in the early hours of 31 March 2018.

Our investigation focused on the actions of officers in dealing with the man on 30 March. We examined the stop and search and the reasons for it, the man’s arrest and transfer to custody, the man apparently swallowing an item at the custody desk, and his subsequent transfer to hospital.

Police interaction with the man was captured on body-worn video and CCTV almost in its entirety. Our investigators examined and analysed all of this material, alongside recordings of radio transmissions and calls.

We also obtained statements from police officers and staff who interacted with the man, from medical staff, and from relevant MPS training and policy leads.

Following extensive forensic testing, the pathologist concluded that the cause of the man’s death was multi-organ failure occurring as a complication of serotonin syndrome caused by the ingestion of a large amount of cocaine

Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence. We noted that all officers who had interacted with the man had been respectful and courteous throughout.

After reviewing our report the MPS agreed.

We completed our investigation in December 2018 but waited until the inquest into the man’s death had concluded, in summer 2019, to publish its outcomes.