Darren Brown: Man died in police custody 'due to drugs'

Darren Brown was arrested and taken to Mansfield Police Station, where he died

A man died in police custody because his heart stopped due to a combination of drugs, an inquest has heard.

Darren Brown was arrested after police officers found him lying on the ground in a park in Mansfield in Nottinghamshire on 23 June 2017.

They found Mr Brown was in possession of amphetamine and there was also an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

They took him to Mansfield Police Station, where he died in a cell.

Pathologist Guy Rutty, who watched CCTV footage of Mr Brown in the hours before he died, described him behaving in a "bizarre" manner.

"He appeared to me to be restless and performing unusual arm and hand movements, placing his hand to his mouth area, and picking up a food spoon and moving it up and down his body," Prof Rutty said.

He said Mr Brown then went to the toilet.

"He remained on the toilet and looked in discomfort," he said.

"He was seen to slump backwards against the wall and he remained in this position between 04:12 and 04:36."

Police officers then attended the cell and performed CPR, Prof Rutty said.

Paramedics were also called, and they pronounced Mr Brown dead at 05:13 BST on 24 June 2017.

Abnormal heart rhythms

Prof Rutty, who carried out a post-mortem examination on Mr Brown, said he found marks and injuries on his body that he believed were "caused by the bizarre hand movements and the spoon".

"There were no marks to suggest that at any point he had been the victim of an assault or been restrained against his will, and there's no such evidence of that on the CCTV," Prof Rutty said.

Prof Rutty said toxicology tests carried out after Mr Brown died showed he had amphetamine, heroin, synthetic cannabinoids, and a drug called gabapentin in his system.

Prof Rutty believes Mr Brown died as a result of "polydrug toxicity", meaning his death was the result of more than one drug.

He believes the drugs caused cardiac arrhythmia, meaning Mr Brown's heartbeat became irregular and eventually stopped.

Toxicologist Stephen Morley said he agreed with Prof Rutty's proposed cause of death.

He said three of the drugs - amphetamine, synthetic cannabinoids and gabapentin - were known to directly cause abnormal heart rhythms.

He added the drugs would also explain Mr Brown's unusual behaviour in the hours before he died.

Mr Brown's death has been investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) but they are not releasing their report until after the inquest.

The inquest continues.