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An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found that police officers acted appropriately during the detention of a man in Rugby who later died.

Robert Grimsley, aged 34, from Rugby, was pronounced dead at University Hospital, Coventry, at 8.17 pm on Sunday 20 July 2014.

Earlier in the evening he had become unwell during his detention by officers from Warwickshire Police in the Pennington Mews area of the town.

Police had responded to reports of a man apparently stealing lead from a roof. Mr Grimsley was detained shortly after he had climbed over a high wall into a residential garden.

The IPCC investigation found that accounts of police officers, the first paramedic on the scene and witnesses from Pennington Mews, coupled with the results of a post mortem examination, indicated that soon after he was detained Mr Grimsley suffered a cardiac arrest.

First aid was commenced when Mr Grimsley was taken ill but, despite the efforts of those involved, sadly he did not recover. 
An inquest which concluded on Friday, 19 August, recorded a narrative finding and gave cardiac failure as the cause of death. 

IPCC Commissioner, Derrick Campbell, said: “I would again send my condolences to Mr Grimsley’s family at this difficult time for them. This was a case where a man died following contact with the police so it was important for us to conduct a thorough independentinvestigation.  Our investigator found no indication of misconduct by the police.”

Warwickshire Police referred their contact with Mr Grimsley to the IPCC later on 20 July 2014. The IPCC decided to conduct anindependent investigation which examined accounts from officers and other witnesses, and considered medical evidence and relevant CCTV footage.