Healthy 32-year-old died after ‘serious failures’ by police officers who held him face down for more than an hour as he told them he was doing to die, inquest jury rules
- Police placed a Polish man in restraints who said he thought he was going to die
- Miscommunications between police and ambulance caused significant delays
- The coroner later said that Krystian Kilkowski, 32, died ‘a drug-related death’
- But an inquest found ‘serious failures’ by police offers who held him face down
A fit and healthy man died following ‘serious failures’ by police officers who restrained him face down for more than an hour, an inquest heard.
Harrowing footage seen by a jury showed hand-cuffed Krystian Kilkowski, 32, telling officers that he thought was going to die as they placed him in leg restraints.
Campaigners said his death echoes that of George Floyd, who was murdered by a police officer in the US in 2020 after being restrained, face down, for nine minutes.
The inquest, which finished yesterday found that serious failures by the officers who restrained him and delays in paramedics getting to him contributed to his death.
Footage seen at the inquest at County Hall, Norwich, showed officers repeatedly pushing his head towards the ground.
Krystian, who had taken drugs and was behaving erratically, was shown to be visibly frightened for his safety and says he thinks he is going to die.
Harrowing footage seen by a jury showed hand-cuffed Krystian Kilkowski, 32, telling officers that he thought was going to die as they placed him in leg restraints
He is then put into two leg restraints as well as other unspecified methods of restraint.
Norfolk Coroner’s Court concluded that Krystian died ‘a drug-related death following amphetamine intoxication leading to acute behavioural disturbance.’
This was exacerbated by ‘a period of physical activity’ and ‘further complicated by serious failures in the methods of restraint’ used by five police officers.
Assistant Coroner Joanna Thompson also found that ‘operational failures in the emergency services led to delays in Krystian receiving timely critical care’.
Krystian, a fit and healthy Polish man who had been living in England for nine years, died very shortly after midnight on his 32nd birthday on August 10, 2020.
Norfolk police arrived at Krystian’s home address to find him behaving strangely after having taken drugs.
They then detained him under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
The fit and healthy man died following ‘serious failures’ by police officers who restrained him face down for more than an hour. Campaigners said his death echoes that of George Floyd, who was murdered by a police officer in the US in 2020 after being restrained, face down, for nine minutes
Krystian was not told why he was being detained or why he was restrained so severely.
The inquest heard how he struggled against the restraints and bit his own arms and tongue.
The pathologist described the tongue injury as the worst she had ever seen.
The police waited for an ambulance, however miscommunications between the police and ambulance service caused significant delays.
By the time the ambulance arrived, the paramedic said Krystian was beyond his level of expertise and required emergency critical care.
He was blue, bleeding and barely conscious.
The restraints continued for a further 20 minutes before he was put into the ambulance and collapsed.
Morrison’s supermarket in Diss, pictured, near where Krystian Kilkowski was restrained
According to the pathologist, the amphetamines he had taken earlier in the evening were not a fatal dose.
Krystian died hours later in hospital from multi-organ failure.
His family describe him as a very passionate and hard-working man who was always happy and smiling, liked by all who met him with many friends.
The jury concluded there was ‘a serious failure to keep Krystian safe’ which ‘contributed to his rapid physical deterioration during the restraint.’
They noted the police’s ‘approach lacked leadership’ and their ‘decision-making was inadequate’.
Jodie Anderson, Caseworker at INQUEST Lawyers Group, who supported Kyrstian’s family, said: ‘Krystian’s death is another shocking example of the lethal consequences of police officers dealing with people in mental health crises.
‘Krystian was in distress and needed care, not brutality. The failure to treat his rapidly deteriorating condition as a medical emergency meant that he was deprived of any chance of survival.
Krystian died hours later in hospital from multi-organ failure. According to the pathologist, the amphetamines he had taken earlier in the evening were not a fatal dose.
‘We call for a widespread structural and cultural change in the way that those in acute mental health crisis are treated on the streets.
‘A failure to acknowledge this growing problem will result in further unnecessary deaths following disproportionate use of force at the hands of police forces.’
Deputy Chief Constable Simon Megicks from Norfolk Constabulary said: ‘Officers at the scene and the Force Control Room made every effort to get Mr Kilkowski the help he needed, calling the ambulance service six times.
‘The jury found that operational failure by the East of England Ambulance Service resulted in a significant delay of critical care.
‘Due to the delay in medical care arriving at the scene, he was restrained for a prolonged period of time while displaying “agitation and extreme strength”.
‘We will, of course be considering carefully the jury’s detailed findings to explore whether there are any opportunities for learning.’
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