A 29-year-old man who appeared to be having a mental health episode suffered a cardiac arrest and died after being restrained by police with his hands cuffed behind his back and his legs bound together, an inquest has heard.
Officers were concerned at Mouayed Bashir’s low oxygen levels and the amount he was sweating during the restraint but did not release him as they waited for an ambulance.
Paramedics finally arrived more than an hour after police had attended Bashir’s family home in Newport, south Wales, and about 35 minutes after officers had become worried about his oxygen levels.
The senior coroner for Gwent, Caroline Saunders, told the jury members they would be asked to look at the officers’ actions, their training and the policies they followed as well as the response of the Welsh ambulance service.
She said that on 17 February 2021 Bashir’s parents became concerned for his wellbeing and called the emergency services.
Officers from Gwent police arrived at about 9am and decided to restrain him. Paramedics arrived shortly after 10am and Bashir was taken to an ambulance.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and police and paramedics gave him resuscitation. He was rushed to the Grange university hospital in Cwmbran, but was pronounced dead.
The jury, sitting in Newport, was shown harrowing footage from body-worn cameras of the way Bashir was restrained. He had barricaded himself into his small bedroom, and shouting and banging could be heard when police arrived. One officer could be heard saying: “He’s going crazy.” Another said: “This guy’s going berserk.”
They got into the room and found Bashir on the floor, naked apart from underpants and kicking out his legs. The officers immediately began to think about restraining him, one asking a colleague if they had “fast straps”, which are used as limb restraints.
They acknowledged he appeared to be having a “mental episode”. One officer said: “We need to get him under control.” By this time they had requested an ambulance.
They handcuffed him behind his back and put straps above his ankles and knees and also physically held on to him. They talked about putting him in the recovery position and keeping his airway clear. Bashir could be heard breathing heavily.
He could be seen and heard twitching, moaning and crying out. He then became unresponsive and one officer raised concern about his “low oxygen levels”.
Officers also expressed worry about how sweaty he was. One of his parents asked how he was only to be told: “He’s fine.” The handcuffs were removed but the leg restraints kept on.
About 20 minutes after the officers raised concern about his oxygen levels, one said an ambulance still had not been allocated. It finally arrived approximately 15 minutes after this.
Before the inquest began, his family said Bashir grew up in Newport and described him as an “extremely kind and generous person, who was dedicated to his faith and his family, particularly as a registered carer for his mother”.
They said: “His favourite thing to do was to host barbecues in the summer. He was popular and cheeky, often hosting gatherings for his friends. He loved music, from traditional Sudanese music to hip-hop.”
The inquest continues.
