CCTV captures police restraining man who died in custody
Former school teacher Meirion James died in custody after suffering a suspected mental health episode.
A jury has been shown footage of the moment police officers restrained a former school teacher who died in custody.
Meirion James, 53, became unresponsive after Dyfed-Powys Police officers tried to stop him from attacking them outside his cell.
The footage shows Mr James charging at police from inside his cell and struggling with them before other officers are called to help hold him down.
Mr James is then restrained on the ground before he stops resisting and remains still.
The inquest at Haverfordwest County Hall previously heard Mr James became unresponsive following his restraint and officers were unable to find a pulse.
He was given CPR but was pronounced dead at hospital at 11.27am on January 31 2015.
Mr James had been taken to Haverfordwest Police Station in the early hours of the morning after calling the police to say he had assaulted his mother.
The previous day he had been detained under the Mental Health Act by police after he crashed his car into another driver and displayed unusual behaviour, with one police officer saying Mr James responded to his questions with “snarls and grunts”.
Pc Mike Boyt said Mr James also tried to attack him, and a colleague noticed his car contained boxes of medication for manic depression.
He was taken to Bronglais Hospital where he was left in the care of doctors, before he was discharged and allowed to go home, where he later assaulted his mother.
CCTV footage of the incident at the police station was made public after it was viewed by jurors sitting on Mr James’ inquest on Monday.
The inquest heard Mr James had previously been a school teacher but was not working at the time of his death after being diagnosed with manic depression.
Assistant coroner Paul Bennett told the jury they would have to consider 14 aspects which preceded his death, including the attempts to use arm and leg restraints at the police station.
Jurors were also told Mr James’ family believed he had been “stable” before his doctor replaced his lithium medication with another drug in the months before his death.
Mr James had told his family he felt his new drug was not as effective as lithium and said he had returned to feeling depressed.
The inquest continues.
