An inquest jury at Milton Keynes Coroners Court has ruled that Brian Ringrose, a 24-year-old man, was unlawfully killed by police officers while being restrained at Milton Keynes University Hospital. The jury concluded his death amounted to unlawful killing, specifically manslaughter by a former Thames Valley Police officer, alongside contributory neglect by other officers and healthcare staff present during the incident.
The distressing events unfolded on 27 January 2021 after police were called to a domestic incident at a Travelodge hotel involving Mr Ringrose and his partner. Police arrested him amid concerns related to an overdose of his prescribed medications, which caused him to alternate between reduced consciousness and intermittent agitation. While waiting for paramedics, Mr Ringrose stumbled on some stairs, hitting his head. Paramedics then transported him to the emergency department (ED) at Milton Keynes University Hospital.
During his time in the ED, police attempted to take Mr Ringrose into custody. However, the hospital staff were unaware of the extent of his overdose, and a key observation by the ED doctor to keep Mr Ringrose under observation for six to 12 hours was not properly recorded in his care plan. Mr Ringrose was forcibly restrained face down on the hospital floor by police officers for approximately 25 minutes; he was handcuffed and had his arms forced behind his head during the restraint.
Video footage submitted to the inquest showed the former officer, PC Martyn Jones, using excessive force, described by Mr Ringrose’s mother, Mary, as treating her son “like a rag doll”. PC Jones was dismissed by Thames Valley Police for gross misconduct following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation but has not been prosecuted. Another officer involved, PC Daniel Simson, received disciplinary action but was not dismissed.
The inquest identified further failings from other police officers and hospital staff who failed to intervene during the restraint. Nursing and healthcare assistants were found to have made inappropriate gestures and comments about Mr Ringrose's treatment. At one point, a nurse is recorded making a disparaging comment likening the restraint to “what you do with a three-year-old toddler”.
After the restraint, Mr Ringrose was placed into a police van, where officers later realised he was not breathing. He was rushed back to hospital and placed in an induced coma but sadly died six days later on 2 February 2021 from catastrophic injuries sustained during the restraint.
Speaking to Channel 4 News, Mary Ringrose reflected on the treatment of her son: “He shouldn’t have been treated that way. They treated him like a rag doll. They're there to protect and serve, not kill.” She described her son as a vulnerable young man who had struggled with mental health issues following a car accident in his youth and who was a father to three children, with another on the way at the time of his death.
Thames Valley Police issued an apology to Mr Ringrose’s family, describing the outcome as “tragic”. Matthew Barber, the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “My thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Ringrose following his tragic death and in their quest for answers after a long and difficult process.” He emphasised that the force’s training aims to ensure any use of force is “proportionate, lawful, appropriate and necessary” and noted that recommendations from the IOPC investigation have already been implemented.
The jury’s verdict highlighted multiple failures, concluding: “Brian Ringrose’s death was a result of unlawful killing. Unlawful act manslaughter on the part of a police officer, contributed to by neglect on the part of the restraining police officers and the two officers initially attending in the van and the healthcare staff.” The inquest hearing ran from 17 March 2025 to 24 April 2025, examining detailed evidence including CCTV footage that captured the events in the emergency department.
The case has brought attention to the handling of vulnerable individuals experiencing mental health and medical crises during police custody and hospital care. It also raises questions about inter-agency communication and oversight in high-pressure emergency environments.
Source: Noah Wire Services