IPCC reopens Sean Rigg custody death probe

Sean Rigg died of a cardiac arrest

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has reopened its investigation into the death of a man in custody.

Sean Rigg, 40, who had schizophrenia, died at Brixton police station, south London, in August 2008.

The IPCC said it followed a review of its original investigation into the death of Mr Rigg.

The Metropolitan Police said "it was fully supportive of this course of action".

Mr Rigg was arrested in Balham, south London, after attacking a man.

The arresting officers restrained Mr Rigg for several minutes on the ground and then took him to the police station.

Legal obstacle

Last year the inquest into his death found that officers had used "unsuitable force". Earlier this year a review by the IPCC found that the watchdog should look again at whether police officers should face misconduct proceedings.

The IPCC's original investigation was slammed by Mr Rigg's family as "extremely poor and ineffective".

IPCC commissioner Mary Cunneen said: "I have consulted with Mr Rigg's family, the officers involved in the arrest, restraint and detention of Mr Rigg, the Metropolitan Police Service and the forensic medical examiner that I was minded to reopen the investigation and last month informed them that we have now done so."

The IPCC said it has been informed that Scotland Yard planned to seek a judicial review of the decision to reopen the investigation - not because it opposed it, but because it believed the findings of the original investigation should first have been quashed by a court.