Man dies after being arrested - Nottinghamshire Police, January 2018

On 5 January 2018 Nottinghamshire Police received reports a car had crashed into vehicles east of Nottingham. The car, registered in the name of a man, was found abandoned nearby. Police went to the man’s home at approximately 9.45pm and arrested him on suspicion of drink driving. He was placed in a police car to be taken to custody. On the way to custody, the man became unwell in the back of the police car. Officers requested medical assistance and administered first aid. The man was pronounced dead at hospital later that evening.

Our investigators attended the scene. They analysed CCTV footage together with radio and telephone transmissions. They also examined both vehicles were examined and took witness statements from the officers involved.

Our investigation found no indication that the man had shown any signs of injury, even though he had been in a road collision, and there was no evidence to suggest medical intervention was required before officers decided to take him into custody. There was clear evidence that officers did all they could to try to save the man’s life when he became unwell in the police vehicle.

Based on the evidence available we found no indication any police officer had behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or had committed a criminal offence.

We completed our investigation in May 2018 but waited until the inquest into the man’s death had completed before publishing our findings.