
all credits: BBC News
published: 11 October 2019
A police force has vowed to make improvements after a man took heroin in his cell and died. Leroy Junior Medford was being watched at a police station in Reading in April 2017, after he was suspected of concealing drugs internally.
At an inquest this year, the coroner said police should have “done more”. In a report to the coroner, Thames Valley Police said a number of changes have been made and a comprehensive review has been launched.
Medford, 43, had been searched twice by police and taken to hospital for a scan to check for drugs. Two officers were tasked with “constant supervision” of the father-of-eight in his cell. They had not seen him removing a package from his trousers and swallowing it, which was shown on CCTV.