Leon Briggs inquest: Officer used 'common sense' in restraining man

Leon Briggs died in hospital after being restrained and detained at Luton police station in November 2013

Police officers used "common sense" in restraining a man who later died, an inquest heard.

Leon Briggs, 39, died in November 2013 after being detained at Luton police station under the Mental Health Act.

One of two police officers who carried out the restraint, Acting Sgt Loren Short, used "sound judgment" to try to help Mr Briggs, the jury heard.

But the officer was also accused of having "no consideration" for Mr Briggs' wellbeing.

He had previously told the court restraining Mr Briggs in Marsh Road on 4 November 2013, was necessary.

The lorry driver was restrained face-down by officers, handcuffed and placed in leg restraints following concerns about his behaviour.

The jury was told that Mr Briggs was having "an acute mental health crisis" during the incident

Mr Briggs was detained in a cell at about 14:25 GMT under the Mental Health Act, but he became unconscious and was pronounced dead in hospital at about 16:15.

• Officer accused of 'pack of lies' at inquest

• Restraint officer saw 'no evidence of injury'

• Restraint officer 'had concerns for man's safety'

The inquest heard his primary cause of death was "amphetamine intoxication with prone restraint and prolonged struggling".

A secondary cause of death was given as coronary heart disease.

Bedfordshire Police's representative at the inquest in Milton Keynes, John Beggs, said Acting Sgt Short had difficulty detaining Mr Briggs, but remained "calm" throughout.

Mr Beggs said: "Bringing to bear your experience, which at the time was about six years in policing, you bring to bear your common sense, you bring to bear your training.

"Your objective was to protect Leon, you wanted to do the best you could for Leon."

Mr Beggs said Acting Sgt Short used "sound judgment and good faith" in making any decisions about the restraint.

He described Mr Briggs as being "very heavy" and "unpredictable", leading to a struggle for the officers.

Mr Briggs, a lorry driver, was a father of two

The inquest also heard from Dexter Dias QC, who was representing Mr Briggs' family.

Mr Dias told the jury that Mr Briggs had been picked up into the police van "without thought" and there was no support for his head or shoulders.

He said: "Leon was being restrained for 13 minutes against the concrete in a face-down position.

"He was then picked up face-down without consideration about the danger from positional asphyxia or anything else."

Mr Dias told the inquest the actions of the police officers were "unreasonable and unjustified" as they had put pressure on Mr Briggs' shoulders, risking "injury or death".

The jury was also told that Mr Briggs' head was "pinned down" to the floor, while Acting Sgt Short "deliberately sought" to push his knees on to his back.

The inquest continues.