Police held victim with brain injury for 11 hours

A VICTIM left brain-damaged after being battered with a metal pole was held for 11 hours by a Yorkshire police force before he was taken to hospital because officers thought he was drunk, a damning report has revealed.

South Yorkshire Police officers have been criticised for the way they treated Dean Hutton, 23, who will need constant care after two brothers attacked him with a scaffolding pole in Rotherham in August 2009.

Following the assault, Mr Hutton, who refused to attend hospital, was arrested and taken to the town’s Main Street police station for a previous offence of failing to appear at court.

Eleven hours later, when officers were unable to rouse him, he was seen by a medical examiner who happened to be in the custody suite and taken to Rotherham District General Hospital.

He was then transferred to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, where he underwent emergency surgery.

An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has concluded that police officers made “errors” in the case, and the victim’s family have spoken of their anger.

Roy Hutton, Dean’s father, said: “Before his brain injury, Dean was completely independent but now needs our help with almost everything he does.

“We are angry that Dean’s injury was not spotted by police officers sooner, and hope that the changes recommended by the IPCC are taken on board so that nothing like this ever happens again.”

The IPCC report into the case states that the custody sergeant was made aware that Mr Hutton had suffered a head injury, but he was “classified as drunk” instead.

Before he was taken to hospital, Mr Hutton had been vomiting, bleeding from his nose and breathing shallowly.

Stacy Gee, a solicitor and brain injury specialist at Yorkshire law firm Irwin Mitchell, which is investigating the delay in treatment, said Mr Hutton suffered from “ongoing physical, cognitive and behavioural difficulties”.

She added: “Had the police taken note of the fact that Mr Hutton had suffered a head injury and consequently recognised the symptoms he showed through the night, he would have received medical attention much sooner.”

IPCC Commissioner Nicholas Long said it was clear that police had made a “serious mistake”.

“Opportunities were missed that may have resulted in Mr Hutton receiving earlier medical intervention,” he added.

“It is obviously beyond the IPCC’s remit to say whether such earlier intervention may have changed Mr Hutton’s prognosis.

“The injuries he sustained as a result of the attack have left him in very poor health and he will need constant care.

“My thoughts are with him and his family in what must be a very difficult time. Our investigation will ensure that lessons are learned from this incident.”

The IPCC made five recommendations for improvement – three to be acted on in South Yorkshire specifically, and two to be adopted by forces nationwide.

South Yorkshire’s deputy chief constable, Bob Dyson, said the force had already implemented the recommendations, which included giving custody officers refresher courses in risk assessment.

“Hopefully these measures will mean that there is a reduced chance of any repeat of this type of incident,” Mr Dyson added.

“Our thoughts are very much with Mr Hutton and his family and friends. We regret what happened to him and hope they will be reassured that lessons have been learnt as a result of this tragic matter.”

n At Sheffield Crown Court in March, brothers Brett and James Garbutt were convicted of causing grievous bodily harm and jailed for a total of 12 years for the attack on Mr Hutton.

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