Thomas Orchard inquest recommences

Eleven years since it first opened

Eleven years after it first opened, an inquest into an Exeter man who died after being restrained by police is resuming at Devon County Hall.
 
Thomas Orchard, who was 32 and had a serious mental illness, was arrested in 2012 and taken to Heavitree Road Police station where he was forced into a webbed bite-and-spit hood, which was intended to restrain him.
 
He suffered a cardiac arrest and died a week later in hospital.
 
A Devon and Cornwall Police sergeant and two detention officers were later acquitted of his manslaughter. Separately, the force pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches. 
 
The inquest is scheduled to take six weeks, finishing the week before Christmas. In a statement released ahead of it, Mr Orchard’s family said: “It has been over 11 tortuous years since Thomas’ tragic death and we welcome his inquest as our first opportunity to play a more active role in the proceedings and to finally get some answers.

“We hope that the inquest process will be robust, with all those involved being open and honest, so that as a family we can not only have our questions answered but also ensure that Thomas’ death can play its part in improving the treatment of those in mental health crisis and in preventing further deaths in police custody.”

The inquest, which is being heard by a jury, is scheduled to last six weeks.