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| Police custody deaths 'highest for five years' | Police custody deaths 'highest for five years' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| There were 17 deaths in or following police custody in 2014-15, the highest number for five years, the Independent Police Complaints Commission says. | There were 17 deaths in or following police custody in 2014-15, the highest number for five years, the Independent Police Complaints Commission says. |
| IPCC chair Dame Anne Owers said its investigations have "too often exposed the same issues". | IPCC chair Dame Anne Owers said its investigations have "too often exposed the same issues". |
| It comes as a review into police custody deaths in England and Wales was announced by the home secretary. | It comes as a review into police custody deaths in England and Wales was announced by the home secretary. |
| Marcia Rigg-Samuel, whose brother Sean Rigg died in 2008, said she and other families wanted "real change". | Marcia Rigg-Samuel, whose brother Sean Rigg died in 2008, said she and other families wanted "real change". |
| Theresa May said she had been struck by the "pain and suffering" of families, who faced what seemed to be evasiveness and obstruction of the facts. | Theresa May said she had been struck by the "pain and suffering" of families, who faced what seemed to be evasiveness and obstruction of the facts. |
| Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commission's annual report on deaths during or following police contact said: | Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commission's annual report on deaths during or following police contact said: |
| Dame Owers said the custody system suffered from "inadequate risk assessments, token checks on a person in custody, insufficient handovers between custody staff, a failure to recognise or properly deal with people with mental health concerns or substance abuse issues, poor liaison between police and other agencies". | Dame Owers said the custody system suffered from "inadequate risk assessments, token checks on a person in custody, insufficient handovers between custody staff, a failure to recognise or properly deal with people with mental health concerns or substance abuse issues, poor liaison between police and other agencies". |
| The independent review into deaths in custody comes after high-profile cases and allegations of wrongdoing. | The independent review into deaths in custody comes after high-profile cases and allegations of wrongdoing. |
| It will examine "procedures and processes" in such situations and will also cover serious non-fatal incidents. | It will examine "procedures and processes" in such situations and will also cover serious non-fatal incidents. |
| In 2013, a review found that the Independent Police Complaints Commission had committed a series of blunders in its investigation of the death of Sean Rigg, a mentally ill man detained at Brixton police station. | In 2013, a review found that the Independent Police Complaints Commission had committed a series of blunders in its investigation of the death of Sean Rigg, a mentally ill man detained at Brixton police station. |
| The original investigation concluded police had acted reasonably and proportionately - a finding rejected by a jury at Mr Rigg's subsequent inquest. | The original investigation concluded police had acted reasonably and proportionately - a finding rejected by a jury at Mr Rigg's subsequent inquest. |
| 'Devastating' effects | 'Devastating' effects |
| Ms Rigg-Samuel told the BBC the review had been "a long time coming". | Ms Rigg-Samuel told the BBC the review had been "a long time coming". |
| She added: "What I want, and I speak for myself and on behalf of other families, is that this review is effective and brings real change on the issue of deaths in custody, and how families feel and how we are treated, and that there's proper accountability." | She added: "What I want, and I speak for myself and on behalf of other families, is that this review is effective and brings real change on the issue of deaths in custody, and how families feel and how we are treated, and that there's proper accountability." |
| Ms Rigg-Samuel also said families should be "at the core of the review", to give them confidence that changes will be made. | Ms Rigg-Samuel also said families should be "at the core of the review", to give them confidence that changes will be made. |
| "When you lose a loved one in state custody, it's bad enough having to deal with the death. What's extraordinary is the systematic failures, and the answers that we cannot get, from the state officials. It's devastating for any family." | "When you lose a loved one in state custody, it's bad enough having to deal with the death. What's extraordinary is the systematic failures, and the answers that we cannot get, from the state officials. It's devastating for any family." |
| In 2010, allegations that the IPCC had failed to properly investigate the death of another mentally ill London man, Olaseni Lewis, led to the High Court quashing the watchdog's original findings. | In 2010, allegations that the IPCC had failed to properly investigate the death of another mentally ill London man, Olaseni Lewis, led to the High Court quashing the watchdog's original findings. |
| The plan to review how deaths in custody occur - and how they are investigated - comes after the police complaints watchdog was attacked for inadequately getting to the bottom of a number of fatalities. | The plan to review how deaths in custody occur - and how they are investigated - comes after the police complaints watchdog was attacked for inadequately getting to the bottom of a number of fatalities. |
| The review is expected to cover the lead-up to deaths, the immediate aftermath and how families are helped or supported during official investigations. | The review is expected to cover the lead-up to deaths, the immediate aftermath and how families are helped or supported during official investigations. |
| It will assess whether police officers properly understand mental health issues, the availability of appropriate healthcare, the use of restraint techniques, and suicides in the first 48 hours of detention. | It will assess whether police officers properly understand mental health issues, the availability of appropriate healthcare, the use of restraint techniques, and suicides in the first 48 hours of detention. |
| What happened to Sean Rigg? | |
| Sean Rigg, who had suffered from schizophrenia for 20 years, was arrested in August 2008 and taken to Brixton police station in south London. | |
| He had been arrested on suspicion of committing public order offences and attacking a police officer in neighbouring Balham. Hours later, the "boisterous, talented" 40-year-old musician was taken by ambulance to hospital, where he was declared dead. | |
| According to his sister, Marcia Rigg-Samuel, police told the family he had "suddenly collapsed and died", but nothing more. | |
| Mr Rigg, who had begun his own record label and released a CD, was seen by a doctor after he became ill at the police station and given CPR when his condition worsened. | |
| He had a history of discontinuing his medication, which led to him being arrested several times and sectioned under the Mental Health Act. | |
| Mr Rigg once travelled abroad frequently and had been in trouble with the police in Thailand, Switzerland and Paris, but every time he was released and sent back to the UK because of his illness, his sister said. | |
| Mrs May said: "Police custody is the place where a number of dynamics meet. It is the place where dangerous and difficult criminals are rightly locked-up, where officers and staff regularly face violent, threatening and abusive behaviour, and where the police use some of their most sensitive and coercive powers. | Mrs May said: "Police custody is the place where a number of dynamics meet. It is the place where dangerous and difficult criminals are rightly locked-up, where officers and staff regularly face violent, threatening and abusive behaviour, and where the police use some of their most sensitive and coercive powers. |
| "But it is also a place where all too often vulnerable people, often those with mental health problems, are taken because there is no other place to go." | "But it is also a place where all too often vulnerable people, often those with mental health problems, are taken because there is no other place to go." |
| Police frustrations | Police frustrations |
| The home secretary pledged the review would have the experiences of families at the heart of its approach - and its chairman, yet to be appointed, would be someone prepared to ask "difficult questions". | The home secretary pledged the review would have the experiences of families at the heart of its approach - and its chairman, yet to be appointed, would be someone prepared to ask "difficult questions". |
| She said: "I have been struck by the pain and suffering of families still looking for answers, who have encountered not compassion and redress from the authorities but what they feel is evasiveness and obstruction. | She said: "I have been struck by the pain and suffering of families still looking for answers, who have encountered not compassion and redress from the authorities but what they feel is evasiveness and obstruction. |
| "I have also heard first hand the frustration of police officers and staff, whose mission it is to help people but whose training and procedures can end up causing bureaucracy and delay. | "I have also heard first hand the frustration of police officers and staff, whose mission it is to help people but whose training and procedures can end up causing bureaucracy and delay. |
| "No-one - least of all police officers - wants such incidents to happen, and I know everyone involved takes steps to avoid them. | "No-one - least of all police officers - wants such incidents to happen, and I know everyone involved takes steps to avoid them. |
| "But when such incidents do occur, every single one represents a failure - and has the potential to undermine dramatically the relationship between the public and the police." | "But when such incidents do occur, every single one represents a failure - and has the potential to undermine dramatically the relationship between the public and the police." |
| Deborah Coles, of the charity Inquest, which provides advice to people bereaved by a death in custody, said it was "too early to tell" if the review was more of a public relations exercise, or a real attempt to bring about effective systemic change. | Deborah Coles, of the charity Inquest, which provides advice to people bereaved by a death in custody, said it was "too early to tell" if the review was more of a public relations exercise, or a real attempt to bring about effective systemic change. |
| "For the review to be effective bereaved families, their lawyers and Inquest will need to play an integral role in the review, and the reviewer will need to take full account of their views and experiences. | "For the review to be effective bereaved families, their lawyers and Inquest will need to play an integral role in the review, and the reviewer will need to take full account of their views and experiences. |
| "It must also address why so many previous recommendations from reviews, inquiries and inquests have not been acted upon." | "It must also address why so many previous recommendations from reviews, inquiries and inquests have not been acted upon." |
| She also told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There can be nothing more serious than somebody dying in police custody." | She also told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There can be nothing more serious than somebody dying in police custody." |