Investigation concludes into death of man in Thames Valley Police custody
Factual summary of a published IOPC investigation, covering the incident, key findings and outcome.
All IOPC reports
- Published
- 2022-12-08
- Investigation type
- independent
- Force involved
- Thames Valley Police
What was investigated
An investigation into the care and attention given by Thames Valley Police to a man who died in custody in 2021 found no evidence that police contributed to his death. The man had been arrested for an outstanding warrant and died shortly after being found unresponsive in his cell.
Key findings
- No evidence that police caused or contributed to the man's death.
- No indication of officer misconduct or criminal offence.
- Potential performance issues identified regarding conduct of two detention officers.
- Inadequate communication on the custody record noted.
- Failure to clear vomit from the cell floor identified as a concern.
- Consultation with the force on several learnings initiated.
- Recommendations on welfare checks and handling detainees withdrawing from substances proposed.
Outcome
The investigation found no case to answer for the police, with learning points identified for improving procedures.
Related on BlueLineHub
- Accountability hub — how oversight of UK policing works
- IOPC outcomes & learning feed
- Thames Valley Police force profile
Reviewed by the BlueLineHub Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 13 July 2026 · Next review due: 13 January 2027
This is a factual summary of a report published by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Individuals are referred to exactly as the source report anonymises them. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the IOPC · Summarised 2026-07-13.