A man has died in police custody in Merthyr Tydfil following his arrest for alleged drug offences. James Barnes, 45, was found unwell in a cell at Merthyr Bridewell Police Station in the early hours of Wednesday, September 21. He before he died shortly afterwards, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The watchdog, which has since begun its own investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Barnes’ death, says the man had been stopped by South Wales Police officers in Treforest at around 8pm during the evening before he died. Mr Barnes and the car he was driving were searched before he was taken to Pontypridd station where he was strip searched. He was then arrested for conspiracy to supply class A drugs, but he wasn’t charged.
Mr Barnes was then transported to custody at Bridewell where his detention was authorised at 10.30pm, and he was placed on regular welfare checks while he was in his cell. But at 4.30am custody staff said they noticed Mr Barnes became ill.
