IOPC investigation finds Thames Valley Police officers used reasonable force prior to death of Berkshire man
Factual summary of a published IOPC investigation, covering the incident, key findings and outcome.
- Published
- 2022-12-02
- Investigation type
- independent
- Force involved
- Thames Valley Police
What was investigated
An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation found Thames Valley Police officers used reasonable force to arrest and restrain a Berkshire man, who later died in hospital. The investigation began following a mandatory referral from Thames Valley Police after the man was reported to be suffering from acute behavioural disorder during his arrest.
Key findings
- Officers had necessary grounds to arrest the man.
- The man resisted arrest, which contributed to his death.
- Officers monitored the man’s condition during restraint.
- The officers acted promptly by calling an ambulance.
- Body worn video footage supported the officers' account.
- The jury found it was appropriate to restrain the man given the circumstances.
- The man suffered cardiac arrests during transport to hospital.
- The investigation included analysis from a use of force expert.
Outcome
The investigation concluded there was no case to answer for the officers involved, and learning issued was communicated to the force.
Related on BlueLineHub
- Accountability hub — how oversight of UK policing works
- IOPC outcomes & learning feed
- Thames Valley 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.