Complaint about treatment in custody - Nottinghamshire Police, March 2016

On 23 March 2016 Nottinghamshire Police officers arrested a man for making threats to kill and took him into custody at Mansfield Police Station.

During the booking in process the man appeared to collapse. A healthcare professional from custody assessed the man and concluded that he was feigning unconsciousness, and he was subsequently placed into a cell, and placed under constant observations.

At the next change in shifts, approximately three hours later, another healthcare professional assessed the man, and an ambulance was immediately called.

The man was admitted to hospital for a ‘collapse’ with an ‘unknown cause’. He later underwent heart surgery, after which he was hospitalised for approximately ten weeks. The man subsequently complained about his treatment by police officers while in custody.

During the course of the investigation the investigator took witness statements from the complainant and police interviews. CCTV from police custody was obtained, and relevant policies and procedures reviewed. Three Nottinghamshire Police officers were placed under investigation for misconduct as a result of the incident. We interviewed all three of them.

We found no evidence that the man’s medical condition was caused by his treatment in custody. The man’s medical notes suggest damage to his heart indicative of prior illness.

Based on the evidence available, and after discussion with Nottinghamshire Police, our investigation concluded there was no case to answer for misconduct for the three officers under investigation, but that their behaviour amounted to unsatisfactory performance. The force agreed that they would address this with all three officers.

Furthermore, a referral was made to the Health and Care Professions Council in respect of the healthcare professional’s medical assessment of the man in custody. At a tribunal which concluded in November 2018, a finding of misconduct was made against the healthcare professional, and their fitness to practice was also found to be impaired. They were suspended for 12 months.