Police failures led to custody man’s death

The mother of a man who died in police custody is demanding an apology after an inquiry established serious failures led to his death.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry report concluded officers failed to check on James Bell regularly enough. He should have been checked on every half hour, but wasn’t.

The probe also found officers falsely filled in paperwork claiming all the checks had been carried out.

Last night his mum, Ann Hynd, said: “It has been horrendous, the police didn’t do their job properly and I’ve had to wait for three years to find out.”

The dad-of-four had been admitted to Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, in June, 2011 suffering from a methadone overdose. He signed himself out of the hospital but was later found walking on a motorway by officers who arrested him.

Following his arrest, his frantic partner, Debbie Douglas, called the police station at least six times to warn he was sick. Hours later James, 31, was found unconscious in his cell and efforts to revive him failed.

Ms Hynd added: “I hold the police responsible. I wasn’t offered support and my son died while he was supposed to be in their care.”

James, a gardener, lived with Debbie and children John, 16, Derren, 14, Codi, six, Brodie, four, and three-year-old James Jnr in Cowdenbeath. Struggling with depression, he had taken an overdose of the heroin substitute methadone.

CCTV footage later showed James at the charge bar of the police station swaying and struggling to stay awake,

He was placed on a regime requiring him to be checked on every 30 minutes.

Due to his condition he should also have been put an observation cell with camera surveillance. However, both were already full.

Sheriff Abercrombie, who oversaw the FAI, concluded: “It is clear at least one visit to Mr Bell’s cell is recorded as having been made when no such visit was made. No one accepted responsibility for this entry.”

He went on: “Defects working in the police station contributed to Mr Bell’s death. There was also a failure by those charged with managing the system to take any steps to see that procedures were being implemented.”

The emergency services have said changes will be implemented. Brian Montgomery, Medical Director at NHS Fife, said: “The Board will be working with other agencies to pursue the recommendations.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We’re reviewing the findings and will take forward any learning from the report.”