A 36-year-old woman has been awarded £450,000 in compensation after police gross misconduct left her brain damaged.
The woman was arrested at Heaton Park, Newcastle, in September 2010. Police officers wrongly thought her medical symptoms were public drunkenness.
According to the woman’s lawyers, they then took her to a cell at Clifford Street Police Station where they left her along for several hours.
She was then found unconscious and rushed to hospital. Doctors discovered that she was suffering from a hypoglycaemic episode and slipped into a coma. She now has permanent brain damage.
The officers in question were issued with a written warning from their employers but weren’t dismissed or suspended.
A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said in a statement: “Northumbria Police can confirm compensation has been paid to a woman after her arrest in 2010 on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.
“The force acknowledged at an early stage that it had fallen short of its duty to protect this woman while in custody. Northumbria Police has a high standard of care and wellbeing for all those who are brought into custody.
“There have been significant improvements made in recent years and the force continues to evaluate its practices to ensure the utmost safety of detainees and staff.”
Following a probe into the incident by the Independent Police Complaints Commission , a spokeswoman for the board said: “The IPCC found a police constable and police sergeant had a case to answer for gross misconduct; a police inspector had a case to answer for misconduct; and a police sergeant and a detention officer had no case to answer for misconduct.
“The sergeant and inspector retired before misconduct proceedings could take place. The police constable attended a misconduct hearing on April 2012 and we were advised by Northumbria Police that the officer received a written warning.”