Sheffield custody death: Man had heart attack after cocktail of drugs, inquest told

A man who died while in police custody in Sheffield suffered a fatal heart attack after ingesting a range of drugs, an inquest has heard.

Matthew Terrill, 46, died at Shepcote Lane Police Station on 22 April 2020 after being arrested at a park.

The cause of death was said to be cardiac arrest caused by drugs and existing heart disease.

A pathologist told Sheffield Coroner's Court Mr Terrill faced a "cocktail of increased risk of sudden death".

Dr Jamie Edward Robinson said the drugs found in Mr Terrill's system included cocaine, heroin and spice.

The "possibility of obstructed upper airways" from partially digested food and fluid, and the exertion from being restrained by officers, could also have contributed to Mr Terrill's heart attack, the court heard.

The court was shown bodycam and CCTV footage of Mr Terrill banging his head against a wall at the station soon after being brought in.

He was then taken to a cell and, after being restrained, footage showed him lying still on a mat in handcuffs with three ties around his legs.

Two South Yorkshire Police officers were tasked with watching him and while they were outside the cell and one looked in, no one physically checked to see if Mr Terrill was breathing for more than 30 minutes, the court heard.

At 13:28 GMT he was found to be unresponsive in his cell and he was pronounced dead at 13:48 GMT.

Dr Robinson said that Mr Terrill's brain had been deprived of sufficient oxygen for "at least half an hour".

Toxicology tests showed that Mr Terrill had a "high level" of cocaine in his system, as well as heroin and spice - a drug Dr Robinson said could have "profound effects", including slowing breathing down to a fatal level.

It was also found he had probably suffered a previous heart attack.

Dr Robinson said: "There was a cascade of things to go wrong and there was likely to be a number of factors to cause death.

"I conclude a cardiac respiratory arrest caused by drugs, existing heart disease and the possible obstruction of upper airways."

The Independent Office for Police Conduct launched an investigation after Mr Terrill's death but the Crown Prosecution Service said previously it would not bring any charges.

The purpose of the inquest was to "consider what was the medical cause of death and what led to that medical cause of death, including an examination of whether any police actions or inactions caused or contributed to death", said the coroner.

The inquest continues.

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