IOPC investigation finds North Wales Police officers did not cause or contribute to the death of a woman in custody

Key findings

• North Wales Police officers acted in line with policies and procedures during the woman's detention.
• The woman received regular observations from custody staff.
• Healthcare professionals attended to the woman while in custody.
• The woman was deemed unfit for transport to prison just before her condition worsened.
• Timely first aid was administered by officers and staff during the incident.
• Paramedics arrived approximately 40 minutes after the woman became seriously ill.
• A post-mortem examination indicated death was due to drug abuse complications.
• There was no evidence to suggest police contributed to her death.

Outcome

The investigation concluded with no case to answer for police officers. The findings indicated that appropriate procedures were followed throughout the woman's detention.