Man found dead after being released from custody - Avon and Somerset Constabulary, May 2018

On 13 May 2018, a man approached a member of staff at Bristol Temple Meads train station and showed them a knife and a hammer, which he said he wanted to hand in. The man was told to go to the British Transport Police (BTP) office to hand them in. Officers from BTP then approached the man and he told them that he had left a knife and hammer on the floor, outside the BTP office. He was arrested for possession of two offensive weapons and taken to custody, at which point Avon and Somerset Constabulary took over responsibility for his welfare.

His detention was authorised at 9.49am. During the booking-in process, Tramadol and cannabis were found on him and the man was further arrested for possession of Class B and Class C substances.

At 1.40am on 14 May 2018, the man was charged with possession of a controlled Class B drug and with possession of a knife in a public place. He was charged to appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court at a later date. At 1.57am, the man left custody.

At 9.38am the same day, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue requested assistance at the man’s home address. When they arrived there, the Fire Service found the man in the shower, with cuts to his arms. An ambulance paramedic pronounced him dead at 9.40am.

Our investigators gathered statements and evidence in the form of incident logs and pocket notebooks from all relevant parties.

Evidence indicated that Avon and Somerset Constabulary had complied with all relevant legislation concerning the detention, treatment and questioning of persons by police officers. According to the custody log, the officer who carried out a pre-release risk assessment in respect of the man, as required by procedure, identified no concerns. There was no evidence to suggest that officers from Avon and Somerset Constabulary may have caused or contributed to the man’s death.

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 force agreed.

We completed our investigation in December 2018 but waited until the inquest had taken place, in summer 2019, before publishing its outcomes. The inquest concluded that the man had taken his own life.