A man who died hours after being arrested by police in Bootle had fatal amounts of MDMA in his system, an inquest has heard. Anthony Edwards, 37, collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest minutes after being handcuffed by officers on Kier Hardie Avenue on April 6 last year.
Arrest and Collapse
Merseyside Police were called to the scene at around 9.30am following reports of a man acting erratically in the street. Mr Edwards was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage but collapsed a short time later. An ambulance was called at 9.35am and arrived at 9.54am. Paramedics treated him with a mechanical CPR device, adrenaline, and a saline infusion, and placed him on oxygen. They managed to revive his heartbeat, and he was taken to Aintree Hospital for a CT scan.
However, he suffered another cardiac arrest shortly after. Despite further resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead at 12.09pm.
Inquest Findings
At an inquest at Sefton Coroner's Court on June 17, pathologist Dr Jonathan Medcalf concluded that Mr Edwards' death occurred "very likely due to the toxic effects of MDMA." High levels of the stimulant drug, also known as ecstasy, were found in his system.
Dr Medcalf detailed the circumstances: "At 9.30am on April 6, 2025, Merseyside Police received a call from a resident on Kier Hardie Avenue indicating a male was smashing up a car in the street. The male had no top on, wearing only underpants, and was causing a disturbance."
Police arrived at 9.37am and found Mr Edwards with cuts to his stomach, elbows, and knees. He was detained and placed in handcuffs. Officers suspected Acute Behavioural Disturbance (ABD), an umbrella term for medical emergencies where a person behaves in a manner that may put themselves or others at risk.
Evidence of Drug Use
Examination of Mr Edwards' home address revealed evidence of recent drug use, including bags of 10 pink tablets and a white crystallised substance. Police body camera footage showed that soon after police attended, there was suspicion of ABD, which is often seen in cases of drug use and carries a significant risk of physiological deterioration.
Dr Medcalf noted: "Mr Edwards was placed in handcuffs and didn't seem to significantly resist. He could be seen on the ground for a period but was encouraged to sit upright by officers. Shortly after he did, he became unresponsive and medical efforts commenced."
Toxicology Results
A post-mortem examination found cuts, bruises, and grazes on Mr Edwards' arms, legs, and head, which Dr Medcalf said may have been caused by his erratic behaviour before arrest. There were no significant injuries contributing to death and no evidence of asphyxiation. A toxicology test revealed high levels of MDMA, "within the range that deaths from MDMA toxicity have been reported." He also had 141mg of alcohol in his system, "a level that may have given some features of drunkenness, but was not dangerous in itself."
Concluding his evidence, Dr Medcalf stated: "According to body camera footage, this incident did not include any significant or prolonged violent struggle. Mr Edwards was urged to sit on the ground. Shortly after this, he went into cardiac arrest."
He added: "In summary, there was no evidence of a traumatic death in this case. Examination of the heart by a specialist team identified no abnormalities. Toxicological analysis revealed a high concentration of MDMA. This drug almost certainly accounts for this man's unusual behaviour and also his cardiac arrest."
Dr Medcalf concluded that Mr Edwards died of MDMA toxicity associated with ABD. He said: "From bodycam footage, there's nothing to suggest that the act of restraint in itself is likely to have contributed to the death, with his cardiac arrest being very likely due to the toxic effects of MDMA." The inquest continues.
