THIS is the moment police kill a handcuffed patient by throwing him like a “rag doll” as he lay on a hospital floor.
The distressing footage shows Brian Ringrose, 24, being forcibly restrained by former Thames Valley Police officer PC Martyn Jones.
Bhatt Murphy SolicitorsBrian Ringrose, 24, died on February 2, 2021, after being placed in an induced coma[/caption]
Channel 4Footage shows former Thames Valley officer PC Martyn Jones restraining Brian[/caption]
Brian had been admitted to the emergency department after suffering an overdoseChannel 4
The young dad died just days after the incident unfolded within Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) Emergency Department on January 27, 2021.
Brian had been suffering from an overdose of prescribed medications and couldn’t even put on his own shoes when PC Jones pinned him down.
He passed away on February 2, 2021, after being placed in an induced coma.
An inquest at Milton Keynes Coroners Court opened on February 12, 202.
The jury found Brian was unlawfully killed by way of manslaughter by the former TVP officer.
“Brian Ringrose’s death was a result of unlawful killing,” the jury concluded.
“Unlawful act manslaughter on the part of a police officer, contributed to by neglect on the part of the restraining police officers and the two officers initially attending in the van and the healthcare staff.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched investigation and PC Jones was dismissed.
But he has not been prosecuted.
Another officer, PC Daniel Simson, was disciplined.
Brian’s heartbroken mother Mary said her son had battled mental health issues and had been hospitalised on several occasions.
The father-of-three was expecting a fourth child at the time of his tragic death.
Mary told Channel 4 News: “He shouldn’t have been treated that way.
“They treated him like a rag doll.
“They’re there to protect and serve, not kill.”
Police had been called to a Travelodge on the morning of January 27 after reports of a domestic incident.
Officers found Brian and his partner at the hotel and arrested the 24-year-old.
When he was “alternating between reduced consciousness and intermittent agitation” paramedics were called.
Brian also fell down some stairs and “hit his head” while waiting for medical help.
Once the 24-year-old was seen in hospital, an Emergency Department doctor, ED, said he must stay there for six to 12 hours.
But this wasn’t recorded on any notes and staff believed Brian’s discharge was “premature” but failed to say anything.
The jury found the “process of confirming discharge from the ED into police custody was inadequate, unsafe, and inappropriate”.
It was also concluded the restraint became “unnecessary, unreasonable, and disproportionate” just over five minutes after initially handcuffing him.
The inquest heard the dad-of-three was in such a state he couldn’t even put his shoes on when officers cuffed him.
Inquest jury statement
In their statement the jury concluded: “Elevating Brian’s arms to an extreme position was also unreasonable, as Brian ought to have had his arms placed in the small of his back, and he should have ceased to be held in a ground pin position, in accordance with Police training.
“Following a request from hospital staff to move Brian away from a bay, the officer at Brian’s head end dragged Brian by his arms across the floor without informing the officer at the leg end, or Brian, that he was doing so, causing Brian significant pain.
“There was a brief period after this where the officer at Brian’s head paused the elevation of Brian’s arms to change his own gloves. During this period Brian was on his side/back and ceased to struggle.
“His breathing became less restricted. This would have been an opportunity for the officers initially restraining Brian to apply the Police National Decision Making model and reassess their actions, however they failed to do so.
“These initial actions and inactions of the police officers initially restraining Brian probably contributed to Brian’s death and influenced the future direction of the restraint.
“The police officers initially restraining Brian did not listen to, interpret, or react to Brian’s breathing appropriately given the close proximity of the officer at the head end to Brian.
“Instead they attributed this to purposeful actions and behaviours. Police training includes that officers should treat the symptoms in front of them, not the cause.
“The hospital staff observing Brian’s restraint did not listen to, interpret, or react to Brian’s breathing appropriately even accounting for the background noise of the environment.
“Instead, hospital staff made inappropriate comments and drew incorrect conclusions rather than treating Brian’s symptoms.
“The severe failure of the officers initially restraining Brian in respect of the period of prolonged restraint and struggle in a prone position with his arms in an abnormal position after the initial six and a half minutes, probably caused Brian’s death.”
Brian was bundled into a police van to be taken into custody.
He was then rushed back to hospital after officers noticed him struggling to breathe and performed CPR.
When the 24-year-old arrived back to the ED he was put into intensive care.
The jury heard how Brian was “very still, limp and floppy”, and looked “deathly pale” when he was put in the police van but the alarm wasn’t raised.
A Statement from Matthew Barber, Thames Valley PCC, read: “My thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Ringrose following his tragic death and in their quest for answers after a long and difficult process.
“As a community it is right that we entrust our police officers to use force appropriately in order to protect us all. The robust training that the Thames Valley Police has in place is important to reassure us all that any use of force in policing should always be proportionate, lawful, appropriate and necessary.
“The verdict concluded that Mr Ringrose’s death was a result of unlawful killing (unlawful act manslaughter) by a former Thames Valley Police officer, in contravention of Thames Valley Police’s policies, procedures and training. Recommendations from the IOPC investigation regarding those have already been put in place.
“The Force have rightly apologised to the family of Mr Ringrose for the tragic outcome. I am assured through continued liaison with the Chief Constable that Thames Valley Police trains its officers on the use of force to the highest standard to ensure officers are equipped to protect the public and themselves as they maintain order and uphold the law.
“I await the report from the Coroner following this inquest to understand any further learning for Thames Valley Police and will continue to hold the Chief Constable to account to ensure that any recommendations are implemented in full.”
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