Verdict of unlawful killing in police restraint case
The jury at the inquest of a man who died after being restrained by police officers has returned a unanimous verdict of unlawful killing.
Roger Sylvester, 30, died a week after being restrained by six police officers at St Anne’s Hospital in January 1999.
Mr Sylvester stopped breathing and fell into a coma while being restrained and died seven days later at the Whittington Hospital.
He was allegedly restrained on his stomach, which increases the risk of suffocation and it was suggested that dangerous and unreasonable force might have been used.
All the officers involved denied the allegation.
Mr Sylvester, an Islington Council worker, had battled against manic depression and drugs problems.
He was arrested naked outside his home after banging on the door and taken to the emergency psychiatric ward at St Anne’s Hospital, Haringey, where he stopped breathing while being held on the floor.
The jury found that Mr Sylvester died from brain damage and cardiac arrest, triggered and exacerbated by breathing problems which occurred during the restraint, and also cannabis-induced delirium.
In reaching its verdict, the jury concluded he had been restrained for too long, by more force than was “reasonably necessary” and lacked medical attention.
The verdict, which followed a month-long inquest, was greeted with cheers from Mr Sylvester’s friends, family and campaigners who packed the court.
Following the verdict Commander Phillip Hagon said: ‘We wish to reassure the family that the MPS has taken Mr Sylvester’s death extremely seriously. We have endeavoured to listen to the family’s concerns as well as the concerns of the wider community.
‘This has been an extremely difficult time for everyone involved in the case and we are naturally disappointed with this outcome. We understand that this verdict may result in further enquiries and we will make every effort to assist with those enquires.’
