An inquest has been opened into the death of Craig Clegg, a 49-year-old bodybuilder who died after a brief struggle with Merseyside Police officers. The incident occurred on September 16, 2024, after police were called to his home in Lydiate, Sefton, following nine 999 calls from concerned members of the public reporting a man going door-to-door in a distressed state.
At a hearing at Bootle Town Hall, Senior Coroner Julie Goulding stated that body-worn footage showed a brief struggle between officers and Mr Clegg before he was detained. However, she noted there was no evidence of kneeling or a headlock being used, and the restraint was not considered a significant cause of death. Police administered CPR until paramedics arrived, but Mr Clegg was pronounced dead at Aintree University Hospital.
A post-mortem report concluded that the cause of death was complications of cocaine toxicity. Coroner Elizabeth Wheeler found the death to be unnatural, necessitating a full inquest, which has been adjourned to a later date. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigated the police involvement but found no learnings or improvements required.
Mr Clegg's family released a statement calling for a full investigation into the response to his medical emergency. He was a former winner of the over-45s North West bodybuilding competition and regularly competed in amateur events.
