Darren Lyons custody death: Staffordshire Police investigated

The death of a man who died in hospital after being arrested by police in Staffordshire is being investigated by the police watchdog.

Darren Lyons, 43, died in hospital on Wednesday after being arrested in Beech Drive, Kidsgrove, on suspicion of making threats to kill.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission said it had begun looking at CCTV footage and interviewing officers.

Staffordshire Police said it was fully co-operating with the investigation.

The IPCC said it was told armed police went to Beech Drive at about 11:30 GMT on Sunday after reports of man who may have had access to weapons was making threats.

It said Mr Lyons was arrested and taken to the North Area Custody Facility in Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, where he was put under constant observation.

At about 23:00 GMT Mr Lyons' health deteriorated and he was taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, where he died on Wednesday, it said.

'Right and proper'

A post-mortem examination was being carried out, the IPCC said.

Investigators said they had spoken to Mr Lyons' family and had begun to examine CCTV from the custody suite and interview officers involved.

House-to-house inquiries will be carried out at Beech Drive, they said.

The IPCC said because Mr Lyons became seriously ill at some point after contact with police, the case was a mandatory referral.

Staffordshire Police's Assistant Chief Constable, Nick Baker, said: "We are fully co-operating with the IPCC's independent investigation.

"Whenever someone sadly dies following recent contact with the police, it is absolutely right and proper that the circumstances are fully investigated and reviewed."