Essex: Man dies after police restraint in Brentwood, inquest told

Jamie Crandle, pictured on a holiday in 2018, was a carpenter, painter and decorator

A man died moments after being arrested and restrained by police outside a hotel, an inquest heard.

Jamie Crandle, 41, was in Brentwood, Essex, when he appeared to experience a medical episode on 11 November 2020.

He was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and placed in handcuffs, but lost consciousness within minutes.

Police officers administered first aid to the father-of-four and one said: "We all did our very best for Jamie."

In a statement read to jurors at the beginning of a seven-day inquest at Essex Coroner's Court, his wife Lisa Meah said: "My life and our children's lives will never be the same and we miss him every day."

Jamie Crandle was staying at the De Rougemont Manor hotel in Brentwood

Mr Crandle stayed at the De Rougemont Manor in Great Warley Street on 10 November.

At the time, during a Covid lockdown, the hotel was only open to key workers, but he told staff he was working at a Covid-19 test centre, the inquest heard.

Giving evidence, hotel associate director Samuel Banks said Mr Crandle was in the lobby at 09:30 GMT the next day, barefoot and wearing only shorts and a T-shirt.

Mr Crandle was "worried and scared" and "going at 100mph", he said.

"He was erratic but at no point did he come across as violent," said Mr Banks.

Police were told Mr Crandle had "thrown chairs" in the hotel, jurors heard, and officers found him about 200m (650ft) up the road.

Leg restraint

In body-worn camera footage, police were seen leading him out of the road at 10:06. Officers noted foaming at his mouth, a "bloody discharge" from his nose, heavy breathing and general "distress".

Mr Crandle appeared to lunge at an officer, and at about 10:08, he was handcuffed on the ground and a restraint was strapped round his ankles.

An ambulance was called at about 10:10, and about two minutes later, one of the officers removed the handcuffs and administered CPR.

A paramedic pronounced him dead at 10:47.

Arresting officer PC Aaron Donaldson was asked by area coroner Sean Horstead why he did not give Mr Crandle immediate medical attention.

"We needed to make sure he was contained and we kept him on the pathway to give us a little bit more time to work out what was going on," said PC Donaldson.

"We were trying to keep him as calm as possible."

Mr Crandle was heard shouting "My belly!" while being restrained, but PC Donaldson said he "could not recall" any pressure applied to his stomach.

'Very best'

PC Jade Harrison, another attending officer, said her priority had also been to get Mr Crandle somewhere safe to establish what had happened and what action was needed.

Both officers said they had a basic level of training in recognising acute behavioural disorder and excited delirium.

"We all did our very best for Jamie," said PC Harrison.

The seven-day inquest is due to conclude on Friday 6 October

A man claiming to be a friend was seen in footage arriving at the scene and said he knew Mr Crandle had taken cocaine that morning.

Mr Crandle, from Kent, worked as a carpenter, painter and decorator, and Ms Meah said he "struggled" with drinking and the "stresses in his life".

His mother Jackie Moxley described him as "caring, loving and very funny".

The inquest is due to conclude on 6 October.