HC Deb 17 January 1980 vol 976 cc795-815W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the tables which he annexed to his letter to the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 12 December 1979 regarding deaths of persons in police custody.

Mr. Whitelaw

The tables, amended to take account of further information which has become available in respect of one case, together with my further letter of 8 January to the hon. Member, are as followsI am aware from references in the press, and from the further parliamentary questions which you have put down, of your continuing concern about deaths in police custody. I am, as requested, arranging for the tables which John Belstead sent you on 12 December to be published in the Official Report. (I should point out that there is one amendment to the tables; in the Greater Manchester case in 1977 an inquest was in fact held but no verdict given. The amended tables are enclosed.) As John Belstead explained in his letter, the Home Office does not receive routine reports of deaths in police custody from chief officers of police. Some information was, however, obtained from them and sent to Stan Newens following a question by him in June 1977, and in response to your question we obtained similar information for the ensuing period up to 30 June 1979. As John Belstead went on to say, the information was fairly comprehensive, but did not include all the details you requested. In particular not all the names of those who died were obtained in the earlier exercise, and I took the view that we should not be justified in asking chief officers to extend the scope of their earlier reports as well as to bring the figures up to date. However, in all the circumstances I have now given instructions that the further information you ask for should be obtained, including the names of those concerned, and the tables expanded to include figures for the whole of 1979. I will write to you again and give you this information as soon as it is available. Meanwhile, I think it would be helpful to repeat some of the other points made in John Belstead's letter. As he explained, in the nine and a half years from January 1970 to June 1979 there were 245 deaths in police custody. Many persons are found by the police having collapsed in the street after too much alcohol or drugs, or after a fight, or are already ill when they are taken into police custody. If people show signs of illness at the time of their arrest or at the police station, it is normal police practice to send them to hospital for treatment. Of the 245 deaths mentioned in the returns made to the Home Office, 143 occurred while the person concerned was detained in a police station, and 102 while the person concerned was technically in police custody while detained in hospital. The latter figures include persons who were dead on arrival in the hospital. Deaths in police custody are reported to the coroner in the prescribed manner. Inquests were held in 223 of the 245 cases and in these cases the cause of death shown in the tables was the inquest verdict. Inquest verdicts included: 66 deaths due to natural causes; 62 deaths by misadventure; 39 accidental deaths; 36 suicides; and two verdicts of manslaughter. Both verdicts of manslaughter were given formally after another person (not being a police officer) had been convicted by the crown court of manslaughter of the person in custody. There were also 15 open verdicts and 22 cases where an inquest was not held: in these cases the notes to the tables show the cause of death as given on the death certificate. Finally, there are three cases where no inquest verdict has been given. The first two cases are those which occurred in 1977 in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands when, under section 20 of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926, the inquests were adjourned and not resumed because another member of the public had been charged with manslaughter: the relevant notes to the tables shows the cause of death as given on the death certificate. The other case is that of James Kelly in which the inquest is now to be resumed. Given the public interest in the matter, and the widespread reports in the press of your comments on John Belstead's letter, I am arranging for a copy of this letter, and of the tables which he sent you (as amended), to be made available to the press".

TABLE I
DEATHS IN POLICE CUSTODY 1970–79: ENGLAND AND WALES: BY CAUSE OF DEATH
Year Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Inquest verdict Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
1970 … 3 1 1 1 — 1 — — 7
1971 … 4 4 3 5 — — — 1 17
1972 … 6 3 5 2 — 2 — — 18
1973 … 10 2 3 4 — 1 — — 20
1974 … 9 8 3 2 — 2 — 3 27
1975 … 8 14 5 2 1 1 — 6 37
1976 … 6 4 3 7 1 3 — — 24
1977 … 8 8 5 5 — 1 2 2 31
1978 … 10 12 9 8 — 3 — 6 48
1979 (to 30 June) … 2 6 2 — — 1 1 4 16
Total … 66 62 39 36 2 15 3 22 245
Note: Figures cover period from 1 January 1970 to 30 June 1979

TABLE II
DEATHS IN POLICE CUSTODY 1970–79: ENGLAND AND WALES BY FORCE AREA AND PLACE OF DEATH
Place where death occurred
Force Total deaths In police station Hospital*
Avon and Somerset … … … 5 4 1
Bedfordshire … … … 3 3 —
Cambridgeshire … … … — — —
Cheshire … … … 4 4 —
Cleveland … … … 3 3 —
Cumbria … … … 1 1 —
Derbyshire … … … 1 1 —
Devon and Cornwall … … … 4 4 —
Dorset … … … 2 1 1
Durham … … … 1 1 —
Essex … … … 1 1 —
Gloucestershire … … … 2 2 —
Greater Manchester … … … 11 4 7
Hampshire … … … 3 3 —
Hertfordshire … … … 2 1 1
Humberside … … … 4 1 3
Kent … … … 4 3 1
Lancashire … … … 4 1 3
Leicestershire … … … 1 1 —
Lincolnshire … … … 1 1 —
Merseyside … … … 14 2 12
Norfolk … … … 1 1 —
Northamptonshire … … … 1 — 1
Northumbria … … … 6 4 2
North Yorkshire … … … 4 2 2
Nottinghamshire … … … 2 1 1
South Yarkshire … … … 1 1 —
Staffordshire … … … 1 1 —
Suffolk … … … 1 1 —
Surrey … … … 2 1 1
Sussex … … … 4 3 1
Thames Valley … … … 3 3 —
Warwickshire … … … 2 2 —
West Mercia … … … 1 1 —
West Midlands … … … 11 6 5
West Yorkshire … … … 14 4 10
Wiltshire … … … — — —
Dyfed Powys … … … 1 1 —
Gwent … … … 1 — 1
North Wales … … … 3 3 —
South Wales … … … 11 9 2
City of London … … … 2 1 1
Metropolitan … … … 102 56(‡) 46
Total … … … 245 143 102
Notes: Adjustments have been made in relation to period before 1974 to avoid double counting on account of changes in force boundary areas.
* This includes deaths on way to hospital
†Figures cover period from 1 January 1970 to 30 June 1979.
‡Includes one death (natural causes) at court

TABLE III
DEATHS IN POLICE CUSTODY IN ENGLAND AND WALES: BY FORCE AND BY CAUSE OF DEATH 1970
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Merseyside … — 1 — 1 — — — — 2
West Yorkshire … 1 — 1 — — — — — 2
Metropolitan … 2 — — — — 1(1) — — 3
3 1 1 1 — 1 — — 7
1971
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Avon and Somerset … — — — — — — — 1(2) 1
Dorset … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Greater Manchester … 1 — — — — — — — 1
Kent … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Merseyside … 1 1 — — — — — — 2
Northumbria … … — — 1 — — — — 1
South Wales … — 1 — — — — — — 1
Suffolk … — — 1 — — — — — 1
Surrey … — — — 1 — — — — 1
West Midlands … … — — 1 — — — — 2
Metropolitan … … 2 2 — — — — — 5
4 4 3 5 — — — 1 17
Notes: Columns 1–6 show cause of death by inquest verdict. For Columns 6–8 notes show cause of death as given on the medical certificate.
(1) Hanging.
2) Chronic alcoholism.

1972
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Devon and Cornwall — 1 — — — — — — 1
Gloucestershire — — 1 — — — — — 1
Hampshire — — — 1 — — — — 1
Hertfordshire — — 1 — — — — — 1
Lancashire 1 — — — — — — — 1
Merseyside 1 — — — — — — — 1
South Wales — 1 — — — — — — 1
West Yorkshire — — — 1 — 1(3) — — 2
City of London — — 1 — — — — — 1
Metropolitan 4 1 2 — — 1(4) — — 8
6 3 5 2 — 2 — — 18
1973
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Cleveland … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Cumbria … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Humberside … 1 — — — — — — — 1
Merseyside … — — — 1 — — — — 1
North Yorkshire … 1 — — — — — — — 1
Nottinghamshire … 1 — — — — — — — 1
West Midlands … 1 — — — — — — — 1
West Yorkshire … — 1 — — — 1(5) — — 2
Metropolitan … 6 1 3 1 — — — — 11
10 2 3 4 — 1 — — 20
(3) Alcohol and barbiturate poisoning.
(4) Fractured skull.
(5)Broncho-pneumonia.

1974
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Avon and Somerset — — — — — — — 1(6) 1
Bedfordshire — 1 — — — — — — 1
Cheshire — — — 1 — — — — 1
Cleveland — 1 — — — — — — 1
Devon and Cornwall — — 1 — — — — — 1
Dyfed Powys — 1 — — — — — — 1
Greater Manchester 2 — — — — — — — 2
Lincolnshire — 1 — — — — — — 1
South Wales — 1 — — — — — — 1
Thames Valley — 1 — — — — — — 1
Warwickshire — 1 — — — — — — 1
West Mercia — — 1 — — — — — 1
West Midlands — — — 1 — — — — 1
City of London — — — — — 1(7) — — 1
Metropolitan 7 1 1 — — 1(8) — 2(9) 12
9 8 3 2 — 2 — 3 27
(6) Coronary occlusion, atheroma and acute alcoholism.
(7) Alcohol poisoning.
(8) Fractured skull.
(9)Hypothermia/alcoholism: chronic alcoholism.

1975
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Avon and Somerset … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Dorset … — — — — — — — 1(10) 1
Greater Manchester … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Hampshire … — 1 — — — — — — 1
Humberside … — — 1 — — — — — 1
Kent … — 1 — — — — — — 1
Lancashire … — 1 — — — — — — 1
Merseyside … — — 1 — — — — — 1
Norfolk … — 1 — — — — — — 1
Northants … — 1 — — — — — — 1
North Wales … — 1 — — — — — — 1
South Wales … 1 2 — — — — — — 3
Staffs … — — — — — — — 1(11) 1
Sussex … — 1 — — — — — — 1
West Midlands … 1 1 — — — — — — 2
West Yorkshire … — 1 — — 1 — — — 2
Metropolitan … 6 3 3 — — 1(12) — 4(13) 17
8 14 5 2 1 1 — 6 37
(10) Cardial haemorrhage.
(11) Coronary thrombosis.
(12) Fractured skull.
(13) Alcohol poisoning: inhalation-vomit/drug addiction: Hacmorrhage pancreas/self neglect: strangulated hernia.

1976
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Bedfordshire … 1 — — — — — — — —
Essex … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Greater Manchester … 1 — 1 — — 1(14) — — 3
Leicestershire … 1 — — — — — — — 1
Merseyside … — — — 1 1 — — — 2
North Yorkshire … — — — 1 — — — — 1
South Wales … — 2 — — — — — — 2
West Yorkshire … 1 — — — — — — — 1
Metropolitan … 2 2 2 4 — 2(15) — — 12
6 4 3 7 1 3 — — 24
(14) Respiratory failure/Tranxene poisoning.
(15) Fractured skull/pneumonia: glycole poisoning.

1977
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Avon and Somerset 1 — — — — — — — 1
Cheshire — — 1 1 — — — — 2
Cleveland — — — 1 — — — — 1
Devon and Cornwall — — — 1 — — 1(16) — 1
Greater Manchester — — — — — — — — 1
Gwent — — 1 — — — — — 1
Hertfordshire — — 1 — — — — — 1
Kent — — — 1 — — — — 1
Lancashire — 1 — — — — — — 1
Merseyside 1 1 1 — — — — — 3
Northumbria — 1 — 1 — 1(17) — — 3
North Wales — — 1 — — — — — 1
North Yorkshire — — — — — — — 1(18) 1
West Midlands 3 — — — — — 1(19 1(20) 5
Metropolitan 3 5 — — — — — — 8
8 8 5 5 — 1 2 2 31
(16) Cerebral haemorrhage due to fractured skull. Inquest adjourned and not resumed (section 20 of Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926), another member of the public having been charged with manslaughter.
(17) Acute alcoholic poisoning.
(18) Myocardial infarction/severe coronary atheroma.
(19) Cerebral contusion with fracture of skull and sub dural haemorrhage due to head injury. Inquest adjourned and not resumed (section 20 or Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926), another member of the public having been charged with manslaughter
(20) Heart attack

1978
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Bedfordshire … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Cheshire … — — — — — 1(21) — — 1
Derbyshire … — — 1 — — — — — 1
Gloucestershire … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Greater Manchester … — 1 — — — — — 1(22) 2
Hampshire … — 1 — — — — — — 1
Humberside … — — — 1 — — — 1(23) 2
Kent … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Merseyside … — — 1 — — — — — 1
Northumbria … — 1 1 — — — — — 2
North Wales … 1 — — — — — — — 1
North Yorkshire … — — — 1 — — — — 1
Nottinghamshire … 1 — — — — — — — 1
South Wales … 1 1 — — — — — 1(24) 3
South Yorkshire … 1 — — — — — — — 1
Surrey … 1 — — — — — — — 1
Sussex … — 1 1 — — — — — 2
Warwickshire … — 1 — — — — — — 1
West Yorkshire … 2 — — 1 — 1(25) — — 4
Metropolitan … 3 6 5 2 — 1(26) — 3(27) 20
10 12 9 8 — 3 — 6 48
(21) Burns and inhalation of smoke.
(22) Bronchial pneumonia.
(23) Acute tracheo bronchitis/cerebral haemorrhage.
(24) Acute heart failure/coronary atheroma.
(25) Poisoning by drugs.
(26) Fractured skull of long standing (contused brain).
(27) All natural causes.

1979(1 January-30 June)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Natural causes Misadventure Accidental death Suicide Manslaughter Open verdict No verdict given No inquest Total
Avon and Somerset — — — — — 1(28) — — 1
Devon and Cornwall — — — — — — — 1(29) 1
Durham — — 1 — — — — — 1
Greater Manchester — — 1 — — — — — 1
Lancashire — 1 — — — — — — 1
Merseyside — — — — — — 1(30) — 1
Sussex — 1 — — — — — — 1
Thames Valley — 1 — — — — — 1(31) 2
West Yorkshire — 1 — — — — — — 1
Metropolitan 2 2 — — — — — 2(32) 6
2 6 2 — — 1 1 4 16
(28) Acute haemorrhage gastritis due to ingestion of unknown noxious substance.
(29) Ischaemic heart disease/hypoglycaema.
(30) James Kelly: Inquest at present adjourned.
(31) Natural causes.
(32) Natural causes: Confluent broncho-pneumonia.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide such information as he has of how many persons, during each year since 1970, having been detained in police custody, have died shortly after release from such custody.

Mr. Whitelaw

I regret that this information is not available.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons during each year since 1970 have died of hypothermia or extreme cold whilst in police custody or as a result of a period in such custody; and in how many cases extreme cold or a medical condition associated with it has been identified either at the coroner's inquest or on the death certificate as a contributory factor to death in such circumstances.

Mr. Whitelaw

In response to the hon. Member's previous request, I have already asked chief officers of police for further information about the deaths of persons in police custody in each year since 1970. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible, giving such information as may be available.