SWNS_CUSTODY_DEATH_08

A CCTV camera still showing the moment that police officers restrained schizophrenic Thomas Orchard while he was in custody. The footage shows Thomas being held down, tied up, moved to another cell then untied. His motionless body is seen lying in the cell where he was later pronounced dead. See SWNS story SWCUSTODY; A police sergeant and two detention officers killed a mentally-ill church caretaker by strapping a webbing BELT across his face and starving him of oxygen, a court heard yesterday (weds). ‘Quiet and placid’ schizophrenic Thomas Orchard, 32, was bound in handcuffs and leg restraints after being arrested by SEVEN police and support officers in a public order incident. An ’emergency response belt’ was put across his mouth and nose for five minutes while he was in a prone position, interfering with his breathing, a jury was told. He barely moved after he was left lying in his cell when it was removed before he was found having a cardiac arrest 12 minutes later, the court heard.

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