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| Injured cell man 'may have lived' | Injured cell man 'may have lived' |
| (1 day later) | |
| A disabled man who suffered a fractured spine after police pinned him down may have survived if he had been taken to hospital sooner, a jury has ruled. | |
| Four police officers were called to Gareth Bracey's flat in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, after he allegedly tried to commit suicide, an inquest was told. | Four police officers were called to Gareth Bracey's flat in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, after he allegedly tried to commit suicide, an inquest was told. |
| Mr Bracey, 48, who suffered from a back condition, was left in a cell at Barry police station for 20 hours. | Mr Bracey, 48, who suffered from a back condition, was left in a cell at Barry police station for 20 hours. |
| He became paralysed before being moved without a spinal board to hospital. | He became paralysed before being moved without a spinal board to hospital. |
| Police burst into Mr Bracey's home in Meirion Place in the town in April 2004 and arrested him after he allegedly tried to kill himself. | Police burst into Mr Bracey's home in Meirion Place in the town in April 2004 and arrested him after he allegedly tried to kill himself. |
| The inquest jury heard he was arrested for his own safety and taken to the town's police station. | The inquest jury heard he was arrested for his own safety and taken to the town's police station. |
| I had told them about Gareth's back and said he was gentle - he wouldn't harm a fly Jeffrey Bracey, twin brother | I had told them about Gareth's back and said he was gentle - he wouldn't harm a fly Jeffrey Bracey, twin brother |
| His twin brother Jeffrey told the inquest in Cardiff: "There were four officers on the bed trying to handcuff him - he was screaming at them. | His twin brother Jeffrey told the inquest in Cardiff: "There were four officers on the bed trying to handcuff him - he was screaming at them. |
| "The officers had him pinned to the floor - there were two officers on the top of his body and two officers on his legs. | "The officers had him pinned to the floor - there were two officers on the top of his body and two officers on his legs. |
| "I think one had a knee on his neck. Another was sitting on his leg and another was holding his leg. | "I think one had a knee on his neck. Another was sitting on his leg and another was holding his leg. |
| "I was shocked at what I was seeing in the bedroom of his flat. Officers had asked me before they went in if he would pose any risk to them. | "I was shocked at what I was seeing in the bedroom of his flat. Officers had asked me before they went in if he would pose any risk to them. |
| "I had told them about Gareth's back and said he was gentle - he wouldn't harm a fly." | "I had told them about Gareth's back and said he was gentle - he wouldn't harm a fly." |
| Mr Bracey suffered from ankylosing spondalytis, a condition that had stiffened his spine into the shape of a question mark. | Mr Bracey suffered from ankylosing spondalytis, a condition that had stiffened his spine into the shape of a question mark. |
| 'Accountable' | 'Accountable' |
| A jury delivered a unanimous narrative verdict, saying Mr Bracey would have survived if his paralysis had been recognised sooner. | A jury delivered a unanimous narrative verdict, saying Mr Bracey would have survived if his paralysis had been recognised sooner. |
| The verdict read: "Gareth's spine was fractured during a police search. | The verdict read: "Gareth's spine was fractured during a police search. |
| "Paramedics who collected him from the police station were not made aware that he had lost the use of his legs. | "Paramedics who collected him from the police station were not made aware that he had lost the use of his legs. |
| "The injury to his spine was not detected until he had a scan - but by that time he had lost the use of his arms. | "The injury to his spine was not detected until he had a scan - but by that time he had lost the use of his arms. |
| "Earlier immobilisation would have prevented his death." | "Earlier immobilisation would have prevented his death." |
| Jeffrey Bracey, now 50, said after the verdict that nobody had been held accountable for his brother's death. | Jeffrey Bracey, now 50, said after the verdict that nobody had been held accountable for his brother's death. |
| "I told them he was disabled but the police knelt on his neck. | "I told them he was disabled but the police knelt on his neck. |
| "Gareth died as a direct result of the way he was handled during his arrest. | "Gareth died as a direct result of the way he was handled during his arrest. |
| "I told the police about his back, but when he got to the police station nobody was told. | "I told the police about his back, but when he got to the police station nobody was told. |
| "He was badly treated on arrest and neglected at the police station." | "He was badly treated on arrest and neglected at the police station." |
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