Family's Search for Answers After Police Custody Death

William Cameron died of a heart attack caused by a mix of alcohol, methadone, and other drugs at Loddon Valley Police Station in Berkshire on 8 January 2020. His sister, Patricia Cameron, has spent nearly seven years seeking answers about why he died alone on the floor of a police cell.

William, who had a history of alcohol and substance abuse, was arrested on suspicion of assault after an argument with his partner. Officers noted that he appeared to be heavily intoxicated and was struggling to walk, and his partner informed them that he had taken tablets. However, this information was not passed on to other officers or the custody healthcare professional.

Upon arrival at the police station, William was found to be limp and unconscious. Officers presumed he was feigning unconsciousness as a form of passive resistance. Nurse Sean Cregg, who assessed William, did not check his oxygen levels as the oximeter was not working, and he left William lying on his front, not in the recovery position. Despite knowing William was an alcoholic and drug user, custody sergeant Laura Murray did not put him on rousing checks, which are required for intoxicated detainees.

William was left on Level One observations, which are the minimum acceptable level of observation for any detainee. Detention officer Jack Camp checked on him through the cell door spy hole every 30 minutes, but did not enter the cell. At a shift handover, Murray said she did not put William on rousing checks because he would have to be hit over the head with a bat to wake him up. At 07:04, an officer noticed William was not breathing, and he was pronounced dead at 08:16.

After an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Murray, arresting officer Leon Cunningham, and detention officer Camp were found to have breached standards of professional behaviour. Murray was dismissed without notice, and Cunningham and Camp would have been dismissed if still serving. All three have been barred from working in policing again. Nurse Sean Cregg was charged with gross negligence manslaughter and breaching a health and safety law, but was acquitted by a jury at the Old Bailey.

Thames Valley Police said it now has additional safeguards for those coming into custody and enhanced scenario training around deteriorating health and the influence of drugs or alcohol. William's death was not the first to occur in custody at Loddon Valley Police Station, and his family is determined that he will not be forgotten.