Darren Cumberbatch: Flaws in IOPC probe of Tasered man's death

Darren Cumberbatch died in hospital from multi-organ failure in July 2017

The police watchdog says it will reinvestigate the case of a man who died after being Tasered by officers as its original probe was "flawed".

Darren Cumberbatch, 32, was restrained by police at a hostel in Nuneaton nine days before he died in July 2017.

Following an inquiry in 2018, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found officers had not breached standards of professional behaviour.

Mr Cumberbatch's family had called for the case to be reviewed.

He had symptoms of acute behavioural disturbance (ABD) at the time of the incident, which started at the hostel on Edward Street and continued to George Eliot Hospital where he eventually died of multi-organ failure.

A 2019 inquest into the death found police force was "excessive" and "probably avoidable", and that more could have been done to de-escalate the situation.

The IOPC said after considering evidence from the inquest it had since decided officers' use of force at the hostel, which it added included use of Taser, incapacity spray, punches and baton strikes, required reinvestigation.

The inquest heard Mr Cumberbatch was punched 15 times.

There have been no criminal charges in relation to the matter.

Steve Noonan, director of major investigations at the IOPC, said: "The original investigation was materially flawed in a manner which had an impact on the subsequent decisions made on discipline, performance and/or referral to the Crown Prosecution Service."

A focused reinvestigation was "warranted" and "necessary in the public interest", he added.

At the inquest, the coroner said physical restraint could be "very dangerous" to a person suffering from ABD

Mr Cumberbatch's sister, Carla Cumberbatch, said: "It is galling to my family that this is now five years after Darren's death.

"Back in September 2018, we set out our concerns to the IOPC on a lack of scrutiny of the degree and nature of force used by police against Darren, who was clearly mentally unwell and vulnerable.

"I will carry on my fight for justice for Darren."