24/07/2015

Man Dies In Police Custody

An investigation is to be carried out after a man died in police custody.

The deceased, who has not been named, was arrested on Thursday (23 July) in the Newcastle area. However, at around 3.15pm, he became ill while in custody at Forth Banks police station.

He received medical attention within his cell, and received treatment from paramedics, but he was pronounced dead shortly after 3.45pm.

Northumbria Police have confirmed the man's death has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

In a statement, Assistant Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: "This death within our custody is a tragic incident. We immediately referred the death to the IPCC for independent investigation, as we would with any death in police custody, and we are assisting them fully.

"Northumbria Police takes its commitment to the welfare of prisoners extremely seriously. This death comes on the same day the IPCC released their annual statistics on deaths during or following police contact.

"Northumbria Police's statistics were included in this report and as a force we welcome this in the interests of openness and transparency. The public can be assured that Northumbria Police successfully manages the safety and welfare of thousands of prisoners each year.

"However, we do acknowledge this incident may raise concerns on the safety of our custody suites. Officers and staff working in the custody environment receive a higher standard of first aid training than regular officers enabling them to provide an effective, immediate response in the event of a medical emergency."

(JP)

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