§
Mr. Brittan
The figures are as follows:
| DEATHS IN POLICE CUSTODY 1970–79 |
| ENGLAND AND WALES 1970 |
| Force |
|
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Merseyside |
… |
… |
— |
2 |
| West Yorkshire |
… |
… |
1 |
2 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
… |
2 |
3 |
| TOTAL |
… |
… |
3 |
7 |
| 1971 |
| Force |
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Avon and Somerset |
… |
— |
1 |
| Dorset |
… |
— |
1 |
| Greater Manchester |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Kent |
… |
— |
1 |
| Merseyside |
… |
1 |
2 |
| Northumbria |
… |
— |
1 |
| South Wales |
… |
— |
1 |
| Suffolk |
… |
— |
1 |
| Surrey |
… |
— |
1 |
| West Midlands |
… |
1 |
2 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
1 |
5 |
| TOTAL |
… |
4 |
17 |
| 1972 |
| Force |
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Devon and Cornwall |
… |
— |
1 |
| Gloucestershire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Hampshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Hertfordshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Lancashire |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Merseyside |
… |
1 |
1 |
| South Wales |
… |
— |
1 |
| West Yorkshire |
… |
— |
2 |
| City of London |
… |
— |
1 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
4 |
8 |
| TOTAL |
… |
6 |
18 |
287W
| 1973 |
| Force |
|
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Cleveland |
… |
… |
— |
1 |
| Cumbria |
… |
… |
— |
1 |
| Humberside |
… |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Merseyside |
… |
… |
— |
1 |
| North Yorkshire |
… |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Nottinghamshire |
… |
… |
1 |
1 |
| West Midlands |
… |
… |
1 |
1 |
| West Yorkshire |
… |
… |
— |
2 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
… |
6 |
11 |
| TOTAL |
… |
… |
10 |
20 |
| 1974 |
| Force |
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Avon and Somerset |
… |
— |
1 |
| Bedfordshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Cheshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Cleveland |
… |
— |
1 |
| Devon and Cornwall |
… |
— |
1 |
| Dyfed Powys |
… |
— |
1 |
| Greater Manchester |
… |
2 |
2 |
| Lincolnshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| South Wales |
… |
— |
1 |
| Thames Valley |
… |
— |
1 |
| Warwickshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| West Mercia |
… |
— |
1 |
| West Midlands |
… |
— |
1 |
| City of London |
… |
— |
1 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
7 |
12 |
| TOTAL |
… |
9 |
27 |
| 1975 |
| Force |
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Avon and Somerset |
… |
— |
1 |
| Dorset |
… |
— |
1 |
| Greater Manchester |
… |
— |
1 |
| Hampshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Humberside |
… |
— |
1 |
| Kent |
… |
— |
1 |
| Lancashire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Merseyside |
… |
— |
1 |
| Norfolk |
… |
— |
1 |
| Northants |
… |
— |
1 |
| North Wales |
… |
— |
1 |
| South Wales |
… |
1 |
3 |
| Staffs |
… |
— |
1 |
| Sussex |
… |
— |
1 |
| West Midlands |
… |
1 |
2 |
| West Yorkshire |
… |
— |
2 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
6 |
17 |
| TOTAL |
… |
8 |
37 |
288W
| 1976 |
| Force |
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Bedfordshire |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Essex |
… |
— |
1 |
| Greater Manchester |
… |
1 |
3 |
| Leicestershire |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Merseyside |
… |
— |
2 |
| North Yorkshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| South Wales |
… |
— |
2 |
| West Yorkshire |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
2 |
12 |
| TOTAL |
… |
6 |
24 |
| 1977 |
| Force |
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Avon and Somerset |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Cheshire |
… |
— |
2 |
| Cleveland |
… |
— |
1 |
| Devon and Cornwall |
… |
— |
1 |
| Greater Manchester |
… |
— |
1 |
| Gwent |
… |
— |
1 |
| Hertfordshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Kent |
… |
— |
1 |
| Lancashire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Merseyside |
… |
1 |
3 |
| Northumbria |
… |
— |
3 |
| North Wales |
… |
— |
1 |
| North Yorkshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| West Midlands |
… |
3 |
5 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
3 |
8 |
| TOTAL |
… |
8 |
31 |
| 1978 |
| Force |
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Bedfordshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Cheshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Derbyshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Gloucestershire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Greater Manchester |
… |
— |
2 |
| Hampshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Humberside |
… |
— |
2 |
| Kent |
… |
— |
1 |
| Merseyside |
… |
— |
1 |
| Northumbria |
… |
— |
2 |
| North Wales |
… |
1 |
1 |
| North yorkshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Nottinghamshire |
… |
1 |
1 |
| South Wales |
… |
1 |
3 |
| South yorkshire |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Surrey |
… |
1 |
1 |
| Sussex |
… |
— |
2 |
| Warwicks |
… |
— |
1 |
| West Yorkshire |
… |
2 |
4 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
3 |
20 |
| TOTAL |
… |
10 |
48 |
289W
| 1979(1 JANUARY-30 JUNE) |
| Force |
|
Inquest Verdict Natural Causes |
Total Deaths |
| Avon and Somerset |
… |
— |
1 |
| Devon and Cornwall |
… |
— |
1 |
| Durham |
… |
— |
1 |
| Greater Manchester |
… |
— |
1 |
| Lancashire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Merseyside |
… |
— |
1 |
| Sussex |
… |
— |
1 |
| Thames Valley |
… |
— |
2 |
| West Yorkshire |
… |
— |
1 |
| Metropolitan |
… |
2 |
6 |
| TOTAL |
… |
2 |
16 |
Notes
(a) Figures include deaths in hospital while person concerned was technically in police custody, and persons dead on arrival in hospital.
(b) In 23 cases during the nine and a half year period no inquest was held, and in one case (James Kelly) the inquest at present stands adjourned.