A custody nurse has been cleared of gross negligence manslaughter over the death of a man who died in a police cell after suffering a heart attack. Sean Cregg, 36, broke down in tears in the dock of the Old Bailey as the not guilty verdict was delivered.
Mr Cregg, originally from Dublin, was also cleared of a health and safety charge following jury deliberations that lasted 25 hours and 25 minutes. The charges related to the death of William Cameron, 38, who was under the influence of drink and drugs when he was arrested.
Death in custody
The trial heard that Mr Cameron's heart attack was caused by a mix of alcohol, methadone and other drugs. He was arrested in Reading town centre in the early hours of January 8, 2020, while walking his dog, Laura. His partner, Theresa Yearwood, had called police to complain about him, even though neither party was injured and she later insisted he had not assaulted her and it was only a "figure of speech".
Mr Cameron begged to be allowed to go as he was arrested on suspicion of assault. He collapsed before he was put into a police van and was unresponsive and limp by the time he arrived at Loddon Valley police station, where he was carried into a cell.
Trial evidence
Members of Mr Cameron's family became tearful as police bodyworn video was played in court, showing his final interactions with police and the moment he collapsed. Prosecutor Zoe Johnson KC alleged Mr Cregg made the "most cursory" examination of Mr Cameron in custody when asked by a duty custody sergeant to look at him.
Ms Johnson told jurors: "Sean Cregg thought that William Cameron was drunk and faking his unconsciousness and did nothing." It was also alleged that while in the cell, Mr Cregg remarked: "He has had something nice," which was said to refer to drugs, although the defendant denied it.
Nurse's account
Mr Cameron was left lying on his front with no attempts to rouse him in the night or at 6am when Mr Cregg looked in on him via the cell spyhole and saw he had not moved. At 7.04am, a police officer became concerned after looking through the spyhole and noticing he could not see Mr Cameron breathing.
Emergency services were called but it was "too late" and he was pronounced dead at 8.16am, having suffered a heart attack, Ms Johnson said. The court was told that Mr Cameron would have survived if he had been taken to hospital when Mr Cregg examined him.
Giving evidence, Mr Cregg, of Newbury in Berkshire, admitted that he "truly believed" Mr Cameron was OK and wished he had done more. "I absolutely accept I should have taken more observations, been more thorough," he told jurors. "At that time I truly believed he was OK. In hindsight, I wish I had done more. I believed he was being obstructive. If I felt he was unwell I would absolutely have sent him to hospital."
Mr Cregg, who was working for Mountain Healthcare agency at the time, said he believed Mr Cameron had been walking and talking before being taken into custody and took what officers told him at "face value". He said Mr Cameron had been breathing, reacted to light, had a strong pulse and good colour when he examined him, and that he had seen many instances where someone had "pretended to be unconscious" one moment and then be "jumping up and down" in their cell the next.
