Age: 39
Sex: male
Date: 4 Nov 2013
Place: Luton North Police Station, Luton
Leon Briggs died after being taken into police custody at Luton North Police Station in Luton.
After being put in the cells there, restrained, he became ill and unresponsive, and was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
He had been taken into police custody under section 136 of the Mental Health Act on 4 November 2013 after police became concerned about his behaviour in Marsh Road, Luton. The reason that he had been taken into custody, it was said, was to take him to a place of safety.
During the investigation into his death, seven members of the Bedfordshire police staff where suspended. However, the Crown Prosecution Service said that there was not enough evidence to charge anyone. They said that they had taken more than 3,000 pages of evidence from almost 100 witnesses and hours of CCTV footage.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission who carried out an investigation into his death said that they believed that a potential criminal offence might have been committed, including unlawful act manslaughter, and gross negligence manslaughter.
At the Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation held at the Carnival Arts Centre in November 2017, a witness said that they had heard Leon Briggs screaming during his arrest and telling the police that his handcuffs were too tight.
He had two children at the time of his death.
