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Coroner backs nurse checks on police cells
Drug death sparks call for better care of detainees
A CORONER investigating the death of a drug addict in custody has suggested putting nurses in Holborn police station.
St Pancras coroner Dr Andrew Reid, speaking at the inquest of Enzo Stompanato, who died in December 2002, also recommended that care of detainees in hospitals should be looked at.
Following a four-day inquest last week, a jury found that homeless Mr Stompanato, 47, had died from abuse of drugs, the cause of death being opiate poisoning, after taking a cocktail of heroin and cocaine.
He had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly and died less than an hour and a half after being placed in a Holborn police cell, watched by CCTV.
Now the Met is considering whether or not to take disciplinary action against two officers in charge of Mr Stompanato’s care.
Criminal charges against Sergeant Matthew Walters and Police Constable Simon Jefferson were dropped prior to the inquest.
A Met spokesman said: “Officers involved in this case are still subject to potential discipline proceedings and any comment at this time could prejudice that process.”
Following the verdict, Dr Reid said he intended to recommend further changes in the custody system. It is the third case relating to the deaths of detainees in police cells or in hospital he has worked on in four years.
He said: “These are difficult cases but the common theme is that further consideration and ongoing work in relation to the provision of health care professionals in custody settings or the provision in NHS trust hospitals for police officers to bring detainees for medical treatment or assessment should be continuously promoted.
“I intend to write to the police and NHS trusts within my jurisdiction to promote joint working to improve this aspect of health care for detainees, whether they end up in police stations or hospitals.”
Mr Stompanato’s mother, Dominica Tramantano, flew in from Milan for the inquest, claiming in court there were “dark matters” behind her son’s death.
After the inquest – twice interrupted, once when burnt toast set off a fire alarm and then when torrential rain burst through the roof, pouring onto the jury – Mrs Tramantano spoke tearfully of her love for the son whose photograph she carries around in her handbag.
She said: “I will always keep him here in my heart. As far as I’m concerned he’s not dead, he’s always with me – he’s a treasured son. He’s been gone so long now but the pain’s still here.”
Mick Farrant, of Camden Independent Custody Visitors (ICV) – volunteers who visit de-tainees in police custody – said: “We have long campaigned for custody nurses in Camden. The Metropolitan Police Service’s custody directorate has recently embarked on an exercise to replace almost all London custody suites with new purpose-built facilities.
“As part of this exercise the MPS is ‘considering’ the provision of a permanent medical presence in these new facilities. The coroner’s decision to use his powers is timely.”
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