IOPC investigation into death of a man after arrest in Cornwall is progressing
Factual summary of a published IOPC investigation, covering the incident, key findings and outcome.
- Published
- 2023-09-25
- Investigation type
- independent
- Force involved
- Devon & Cornwall Police
What was investigated
An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into the detention of a man by Devon & Cornwall Police prior to his death is continuing. The man became unwell while being transported in a police van and was later pronounced dead after arriving at the custody unit.
Key findings
- Two police constables are under criminal investigation for possible gross negligence manslaughter.
- Officers administered first aid after the man became unwell in the police van.
- An initial post-mortem was inconclusive and further test results are awaited.
- The IOPC is reviewing body worn video footage and CCTV from the station.
- House-to-house enquiries have been conducted in the area.
- Devon and Cornwall Police are cooperating fully with the investigation.
Outcome
The investigation is ongoing, with notifications served to involved officers. Further evidence is being gathered to fully examine the circumstances of the man's detention.
Related on BlueLineHub
- Accountability hub — how oversight of UK policing works
- IOPC outcomes & learning feed
- Devon & Cornwall Police force profile
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.