Thomas Orchard: Inquest begins in Devon

Thomas Orchard's mother tells inquest he is "still missed every day"

An inquest has started into the death of a mentally ill man who died after being arrested and restrained at a police station in Exeter in 2012.

Thomas Orchard, 32, died seven days after having an emergency response belt placed across his face after being taken into custody by Devon and Cornwall Police.

A jury has been sworn in at the hearing being held at Devon County Hall.

It is expected to last up to seven weeks.

'Deeply loved'

The coroner told the jury how Thomas Orchard had stopped taking some of his anti-psychotic medication in the days before his arrest in Exeter city centre on 3 October 2012 and that he had been due to have a mental health assessment on the same day.

Jury members were told the inquest would hear evidence about the police decision to apply an emergency response belt, used to prevent spitting and biting, around Thomas Orchard's head when he taken into custody.

The first witness at the inquest was Thomas Orchard's mother Alison.

Mrs Orchard told the jury about her son's sometimes difficult childhood and his struggles with mental health, although she said Thomas's life had improved in the months before his arrest.

She told the jury how living with paranoid schizophrenia meant Thomas frequently found the world "a scary and incomprehensible place".

She explained it could make him behave in ways which were hard to understand and could appear hostile.

Mrs Orchard described how deeply loved Thomas was and that he was still missed every day.

The inquest continues.