Two Metropolitan Police officers accused of failing to properly care for a homeless man who died after swallowing drugs have been cleared of wrongdoing.
Mikias Tekeste, 30, collapsed from multiple seizures in a cell at Croydon custody centre following his arrest.
PCs Justin Hulf and Mara Sow had identified Mr Tekeste as wanted on recall to prison around 2.15pm on July 15, 2023.
As they arrested him, he threw away a quantity of Class A drugs.
Mr Tekeste was searched in Croydon town centre and placed in a police van to be transported to the police station.
During the journey, he was captured on CCTV removing two small packages from his trousers and swallowed them. The officers did not see him doing so.
At the police base, Mr Tekeste informed a custody officer he was withdrawing and a drugs test came back positive for cocaine and opiates.
He was further held for possession with intent to supply drugs and placed on 30 minute observations.
Mr Tekeste became unwell in his cell and had multiple seizures, before falling unconscious.
Emergency medical care was provided and paramedics attended. But he died in hospital from cocaine toxicity shortly after 11pm.
According to reports, “brilliant and funny” Mr Tekeste, who had been a father, left Ethiopia to seek asylum in the UK and was granted refugee status but became homeless after losing his pizza shop job.
PCs Hulf and Sow faced a gross misconduct panel after the Independent Office for Police Conduct determined they may have failed to appropriately supervise Mr Tekeste in the vehicle.
The Met disagreed with its watchdog’s assessment.
On Thursday, PCs Hulf and Sow were cleared of potential breaches of the police standards of behaviour relating to duties and responsibilities and discreditable conduct.
The panel found the officers acted correctly. Mr Tekeste deliberately concealed his actions while swallowing the drugs inside the police van. The risk assessment applied by PCs Hulf and Sow was accurate with the information they held at the time and the level of supervision and observation was adequate.
In September 2023, the IOPC also advised the constables they were being criminally investigated for the potential offence of gross negligence manslaughter.
But eight months later, it was dropped as the case did not meet a threshold to refer to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn, who leads policing in the area, said: “Our officers have a clear duty of care to those in their custody.
“However, Mr Tekeste was responsible for his actions that day and knowingly swallowed drugs.
“The hearing has found that the officers with him in the police van that day acted appropriately.
“Our thoughts remain with Mr Tekeste’s family and friends for their loss.”
