Woman who died after cardiac arrest in police custody 'fell to her knees' after being handcuffed

Oct 8 2009 by Kat Keogh, Birmingham Mail

THE moment a woman collapsed with a fatal cardiac arrest while in custody shortly after being handcuffed, was described to an inquest injury.

Linda Burt, aged 49, “fell to her knees” after being handcuffed following her arrest for an alleged breach of the peace at Trident Close, Erdington in September 2003, the jury was told. A policeman told the inquest jury at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall that Ms Burt had been handcuffed by colleague PC Adam Charlesworth as they tried to put her into a police car. PC Reeves said he was holding the back of the handcuffs when Ms Burt collapsed.

“It all happened in one fell swoop, she fell to her knees and I caught her.”

PC Reeves said he initially thought Ms Burt was having a panic attack.

“We got her in the car and I was trying to reassure her,” he said. “It wasn’t until she sat in the car that I was aware that she was struggling with her breathing.”

A fellow officer then called for an ambulance, but PC Reeves said a decision to drive Ms Burt to Good Hope Hospital in the police car instead was the “best course of action”.

Ms Burt suffered a cardiac arrest and later died at Good Hope Hospital.

(proceeding)