Police failings over man’s death
originally published:
1st October 2009
A watchdog’s report into the death of a man shortly after he was freed from custody says police should have sought medical advice while he was a prisoner.
Nicholas Wootton, 56, collapsed in a taxi shortly after being released from Newtown police station in Powys. He was known to have a heart condition when he was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving in June 2006.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it had now made recommendations to Dyfed-Powys Police. An inquest on Wednesday at Welshpool found that Mr Wootton, from Llanfair Caereinion, had died from natural causes.
He became unwell while taking a cab home from the police station on 12 June 2006, after spending the night in a cell. But despite being taken to Newtown hospital by the taxi driver, he was later pronounced dead.
