Tasered Braintree man died from cocaine complication, coroner told

Sali Byberi had three children with partner Leonora Mafra

A 29-year-old man who was Tasered by police died moments later from complications related to cocaine ingestion, an inquest heard.

Sali Byberi, a father-of-three, died in Braintree, Essex, on 21 November.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) had previously said a Taser was discharged "multiple times" after he resisted being arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned until a later date.

The coroner in Chelmsford was told a forensic post-mortem examination gave the provisional cause of death as "complications resulting from acute cocaine toxicity".

Two police officers were trying to deal with a disturbance in Clockhouse Way, Braintree, the IOPC said

The IOPC watchdog previously said two Essex Police officers were called to a disturbance in Clockhouse Way at about 11:30 GMT on the Monday in question.

Mr Byberi "allegedly assaulted an officer" while police attempted to speak to the people involved and a Taser was discharged when he resisted arrest, the IOPC said.

Investigators said he "became unwell", paramedics were called and he was pronounced dead at the scene at about 13:15.

The IOPC said on Monday it had concluded its investigation.

"Once our final decisions for the officers involved have been shared with all the interested parties in this case, we will be in a position to confirm our decisions," said an IOPC spokesman.

Sali Byberi (far left) who managed a family car wash business in Sudbury, is pictured with (l-r) Eli Sokolaj, Elson Byberi and Leonne Byberi

Mr Byberi was the manager of a family car-wash business in Sudbury, Suffolk, and had three children with partner Leonora Mafra.

Last year, his sister Eli Sokolaj described him as loving, hardworking, outgoing and generous.

Juliet Spender, a public law and human rights lawyer supporting Mr Byberi's family, said on Monday: "Sali's family continue to be deeply affected by his death and understandably still have a number of questions."

According to Home Office figures, conducted energy devices (CEDs) - commonly known as Tasers - were deployed 34,276 times by police in England and Wales in 2021-22 and were discharged in 3,175 of those incidents.