Man 'swallowed ball of heroin' during arrest and died

The man was detained on Midland Road, near the junction with Battison Street

A man died after swallowing a "big white ball" of heroin while being arrested, an inquest heard.

Karl Brunner, 48, was apprehended by officers for a stop-and-search in Midland Road, Bedford, on 11 May 2016.

The jury was shown police body-cam footage in which an officer said: "He has put it in guys".

Mr Brunner, of Clarendon Road, Bedford, appeared to lose consciousness and was given CPR at the roadside before dying later that day in hospital.

'Spit it out, mate'

Ampthill Coroners' Court was shown footage of officers chasing Mr Brunner, who was told he was being detained for a drug search.

One officer then shouted: "Spit it out, Karl. Spit it out, mate. He's swallowed it. We know he has swallowed it."

As they tried to handcuff him on the ground he appeared to become unconscious.

The officers then attempted CPR as he bled from the mouth before paramedics take over and move him to Bedford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

An officer told colleagues: "We didn't get time to search him because of what was happening with him.

"He has got a big white ball. He has got it in."

The inquest continues.