Nuno Cardoso custody death police 'used reasonable force'

Nuno Cardoso was studying law at Ruskin College in Oxford

Police used "reasonable and proportionate force" when arresting an Oxford law student who later died in custody, an inquest has heard.

Nuno Cardoso, 25, from Kentish Town, north London, was arrested on suspicion of assault and possessing two knives at Ruskin College in November 2017.

Jurors at Oxford Coroner's Court heard that a baton was used when Mr Cardoso resisted arrest.

The jury was unanimous in reaching a narrative conclusion.

A post-mortem concluded the cause of death was cardiorespiratory arrest due to combined intoxication from alcohol, cocaine and morphine.

In its narrative conclusion, the jury offered their condolences to Mr Cardoso's family, but the foreman said "police officers applied reasonable and proportionate force" during his arrest.

Jurors accepted evidence from police officers that they did not believe he had "swallowed drugs or had anything in his mouth", and that it "was not a medical emergency until Nuno collapsed".

It concluded the medical care provided to him by officers was given in a "professional and timely manner".

Mr Cardoso's friends were concerned about his "psychological state" before his arrest

The court heard that Mr Cardoso collapsed in the back of a police van on the way to Abingdon police station, leading to officers giving him CPR at Redbridge Park and Ride.

They retrieved a lump of cannabis "about the size of a golf ball" from his mouth.

He later died in hospital.

Mr Cardoso's friends told the inquest they had become concerned about his state of mind prior to his arrest.