Police may face proceedings as IPCC told to re-examine cell death

Police could face misconduct proceedings over the way they dealt with a musician who died in custody, in the wake of a review.

Sean Rigg died in August 2008 while he was being held at Brixton police station and last year the inquest into his death found that officers used “unsuitable force”.

They arrested the 40-year-old schizophrenic for attacking passers-by and police officers in Balham, south London.

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A review found that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) should look again at whether police officers ought to face misconduct proceedings.

The review, led by criminologist Silvia Casale, was set up by the IPCC to re-examine its own investigation into the death, criticised by his family as “extremely poor and ineffective”.

The report found: “The review recommends that the IPCC reconsider the conduct of the police officers involved ... with a view to determining whether to bring misconduct proceedings.”

It said the watchdog should look at the length of time Mr Rigg was restrained in a prone position, whether officers ignored signs that he was mentally ill and whether they looked after him properly when he was confined in a police van.

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The watchdog should also look again at four officers’ claims that they did not know Mr Rigg was mentally ill, the report said, when he had been acting strangely and was known to police.

They had found his passport, wrongly assumed it was stolen and failed to run background checks to find out who he was.

The IPCC is currently reviewing whether misconduct proceedings should be brought against the officers involved and will set out an action plan to address other issues highlighted by the review.

Welcoming the review, Mr Rigg’s sister Marcia said: “It is the family’s strong opinion that possible criminal offences should also be considered afresh.”

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