Man dies following contact with police - Metropolitan Police Service, April 2017

On 9 April 2017 the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) received multiple calls from the public alerting them to a man armed with a knife in the café of a north-London Park. When police arrived, the man had been restrained by members of the public, who had also removed the knife from him and held him for around five to ten minutes while waiting for the police to arrive.

Two MPS officers took over the restraint, handcuffed the man, and moved him to a sitting position, as he appeared to have difficulty breathing. The man was able to say he had asthma, but didn’t appear to have an inhaler on him. Officers called an ambulance, as they were concerned about his breathing and his mental health. They decided to move the man to a chair to help him breathe more easily. The man tried to get up and make off while still handcuffed, but only managed to fall off the chair. Officers restrained the man on the ground as he thrashed about. As officers walked him to the police van, the man kicked out and used his weight, refusing to support himself to hinder them. They lifted him onto the van, as he refused to step into it. They considered placing the man outside in the recovery position, but were concerned they may not be able to keep control of him in view of his erratic behaviour, and that he posed a risk to the public in the park.

The ambulance arrived and paramedics tried to assess the man, while he continued to resist. He was given oxygen and treatment for drug overdose. The man was then taken to hospital, where he was treated. He died the next day from multiple organ failure and acute complications from cocaine misuse causing significant damage to his bowel.

We investigated the circumstances in which the man had died, as well as complaints made by his family regarding their contact with police while he was in hospital.

Our investigators attended the scene and conducted a detailed examination. We identified a number of witnesses and took statements from them. We secured and analysed body-worn footage and police van footage and compared that to accounts from the officers. The pathologist instructed medical experts to analyse samples and provide reports.

None of the witnesses to the restraint expressed any concern as to the way the man had been handled by officers. Evidence indicated that officers had followed training when taking the man to the van. The post-mortem suggested that the police restraint did not cause injury to the man.

We found no evidence to support the family’s complaints regarding their interaction with police at hospital, and therefore did not uphold their complaints.

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.

After reviewing our report, the MPS agreed.