MHA - Police/s135/s136 - Learning from deaths
When Dave Sheppard retired in 2020 he kindly gave me permission to publish the contents of his website (originally named after his firm, "Dave Sheppard Associates", then called "MHAandMCA"). It is a treasure trove. I've not had time to prepare everything for publication but have put the main headings online: let me know if you would like a copy of anything listed.
(ordered by date of death)
Deaths during or following police contact (external link)
Learning the lessons bulletins, IPCC (external link)
Report of the independent review of deaths and serious incidents in police custody, October 2017
Deaths in police custody: A review of the international evidence, October 2017
Daisy French, 9th April 2017
Unknown, (death day after police involvment), 8th March 2017
Sabrina Walsh, (suicide whilst detained in hospital - the day after s.136), 31st October 2016
Mariana Pinto, 16th October 2016 (taken to psychiatric hospital by police, jumped from balcony and died the following day)
Terence Pimm, Essex, 26th August 2016 (s.136 - suicide weeks later)
Ryan Vout, 10th August 2016 (died after self inflicted stab wounds during s.135 assessment)
Joshua Hamill, 5th June 2016, (suicide following police decision not to detain under s.136)
Nicholas de Trey, 4th June 2016 (consideration of s.135(1))
Peter Usher, 29th December 2015 (discharged from s.136 / HbPoS by doctor without being seen by AMHP - suicide next day)
Komang Jack Susianta, 29th July 2015 (drug induced psychosis, drowned the day after s.136 - discharged by doctor, ?no AMHP)
Matthew Groom, 15th June 2015 (left A&E after delayed Mental Health assessment and took his life the same day)
Joseph Phuong, 5th June 2015 (died day after s.2 assessment)
Muhammad Khalid, 31st March 2015 (took own life 2 days after s.136)
Tobias Terpilowski-Gill, 21st December 2014 (police unable to use s.136 as inside own house / single point of access)
Simon Reynolds, 21st November 2014 (choked on ingested paper soon after arrival at HbPoS)
Martine Brandon, 1st November 2014 (arrest rather than s.136 / choked on underwear in cell)
Terry Smith, 13th November 2013 (restraint death - died day after s.136 assessment)
Leon Briggs, 4th November 2013 (restraint death in police station on s.136)
Luftar Coku, August 2013 (killed himself when left unsupervised in A&E on s.136)
Derek Hancock, August 2013
Rafal Delezuch, August 2012 (restraint death)
Unknown, 10th August 2012 (use of Taser)
Thomas Orchard, 3rd October 2012 (restraint death)
Child H, February / March 2012 (11 year old girl in police station on s.136)
Ernestas Anikinas, 8th February 2012 (Taser death)
Philmore Mills, 11th December 2011 (restraint death)
Graham Wright, 25th October 2011 (died day after s.136 assessment)
Toni Emma Speck, 2nd June 2011 (restraint death)
Stephen Church, 13th May 2011 (died same day after absconding from A&E whilst on s.136)
Unknown, 9th April 2011 (burns in police van on way to HBPoS)
Kingsley Burrell, 30th March 2011 (restraint death)
Michael Sweeney, April 2011
Olaseni Lewis, 4th September 2010
Colin Holt, 30th August 2010 (restraint death / failure to use s.135(2))
Melanie Ruddell, 9th August 2010 (killed her 2 year old son / police unable to use s.136 as in own house )
Unknown, July 2010 (self-harm with razor blade whilst in police station on s.136)
James Herbert, June 2010 (restraint death)
Andrew Cairns, 2nd June 2010 (killed Rachel and Auden Slack)
Bryan Saltmarsh, 27th April 2010 (unjustified criticism of police for not using s.136)
Matthew Lovell, 28th October 2009 (restraint death)
Paul Honey, 19th August 2009 (killed himself after absconding whilst being conveyed)
Lucy Smith, 23rd August 2008 (hung herself whilst on s.136 in police station)
Sean Rigg, August 2008 (restraint death)
Hipolit Legowski, July 2008 (s.136 used but no MHA assessment)
Leanne Whiteley, 10th October 2007 (missed opportunity to use s.136)
Katherine Waddington, 29th April 2007 (not assessed whilst on s.136 at A&E - died next day)
Andrew Sheppard, September 2006
Phillip Edmondson, 29th September 2006 (death following s.136)
Malcolm Walker, 18th August 2006 (informal admission after s.136 - absconds and kills himself)
Ms O, August 2005
Faisal Al-Ani, July 2005 (restraint death)
Mr F, 17th August 2004
Martin Middleton, 24th March 2004
Andrew Jordan, 7th October 2003
Mikey Powell, 7th September 2003 (restraint death)
Pavlos Takoushis, 14th February 2003
Errol Leong, 14th November 2000 (killed Tammy Little day after s.136)
Roger Sylvester, 19th January 1999
Davina Rappai, August 1998 (died in car in Cornwall car park)
Glen Howard, 10th December 1997 (died January 1999)
Ibrahim(a) Sey, 16th March 1996 (CS spray / restraint)
Winston Rose, 13th July 1981
DSA archive