INQUEST FINDS BLACK MAN UNLAWFULLY KILLED FOLLOWING PROLONGED RESTRAINT BY BEDFORDSHIRE POLICE AFTER CALLING AMBULANCE FOR HELP

A jury has ruled the death of Andrew McCleary, who died following restraint by Bedfordshire police and East of England Ambulance Service in May 2021, as unlawful killing. McCleary, who had taken cocaine, called 999 due to heart palpitations but later refused to go to the hospital. Restraint was used to force him into an ambulance, despite his objections and the lack of proper criteria to justify the use of force. The restraint, combined with cocaine use, contributed to his death from cardiac arrest.