Custody death police face censure

A report into the death in custody of a former paratrooper is expected to be strongly critical of the police. Christopher Alder, who was 37, choked to death at a police station in Hull in 1998. CCTV footage showed officers chatting nearby as he gasped for air.

The report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission will highlight failings by individual police officers.

An inquest concluded he was unlawfully killed but five officers were cleared of manslaughter and misconduct in 2002.

Mr Alder’s family are demanding a public inquiry which would require the officers involved to give their accounts of what happened.

As well as highlighting individual failings, the police report will also point to problems in how the police work with other agencies.

Vomit

At the same time the Healthcare Commission will reveal the findings of its own review into the case.

Mr Alder, a father-of-two and a Falklands veteran, was injured during a scuffle outside a Hull city centre hotel and taken to Hull Royal Infirmary for treatment.

He was arrested for an alleged breach of the peace and taken to Queens Gardens police station.

Half an hour later he choked to death on his own blood and vomit as he lay on the floor of the police station, without moving, for 11 minutes with his trousers round his ankles.

Another man, Jason Paul, was awarded £30,500 damages after suing Humberside Police when he was wrongly charged over Mr Alder’s death after he voluntarily contacted police as a potential witness.

BBC