Daniel Ryan, a 50-year-old man from Hendon, died of pneumonia in a police cell at Southwick Police Station in Sunderland after insufficient welfare checks, an inquest jury has found. The jury reached a narrative conclusion that his condition "suddenly deteriorated" overnight on November 11-12, 2023, and that due to inadequate checks, medical care was not provided.
Arrest and Initial Condition
Ryan was arrested by Northumbria Police on November 11, 2023, for breach of bail. At the time of arrest, he was not showing signs of illness but told officers he had been "really unwell" the previous week and thought he might have had Covid. Initially placed on half-hourly welfare checks, his monitoring was downgraded to a lower level after a risk assessment on the afternoon of November 11, as he appeared to be intoxicated. The initial risk assessment did not include his mention of Covid or recent illness.
Deterioration and Death
Ryan's condition worsened rapidly during the early morning of November 12. He was found unresponsive during a scheduled welfare check at 11:41 a.m. and was pronounced dead at 12:23 p.m. by attending paramedics. The cause of death was acute bronchopneumonia. The inquest heard that no one had spoken to Ryan between 6:45 a.m. and his death, and medical care was not sought at any point. An emergency medicine consultant concluded that his condition deteriorated rapidly that morning. A healthcare professional stated that had she been made aware of his coughing, wheezing, suspected Covid, and subsequent groaning, she would have assessed him and called an ambulance or administered oxygen and fluids.
Family Reaction
Ryan's sister, Terri Ryan, expressed the family's grief and frustration: "The inquest has been the end of a journey that no family should ever have to endure... Daniel died whilst he was in police custody, reliant on those responsible for his care. The jury found that inadequate welfare checks by Northumbria Police led to medical care not being obtained." She added, "He was let down at the time he needed help the most. No family should have to spend years fighting for answers." The assistant coroner, Abigail Combes, found that Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights was engaged and is considering whether to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report.
Police Response
Northumbria Police Assistant Chief Constable Alastair Simpson said: "Our thoughts continue to be with Daniel Ryan’s loved ones... We acknowledge the findings of the inquest. An immediate referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct who carried out a full investigation and there was no finding of misconduct. One officer was given advice regarding their practice." He added that the force takes welfare seriously and that healthcare professionals operate in all custody suites.
Legal Perspective
Leigh Day lawyer Leanne Devine, representing the family, stated: "Daniel’s inquest laid bare the very traumatic circumstances of his death in a police cell, becoming seriously ill without anyone being aware. It was a strong and meaningful outcome which vindicates Daniel’s family’s concerns about the failure to treat him with the dignity he deserved."
