Police watchdog reveal lines of enquiry into death of man at Canvey marina (From Echo)

Police watchdog reveal lines of enquiry into death of man at Canvey marina

3:24pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in Local News

Smallgains Marina on Canvey

WHY a man who died in police custody was arrested at midnight for failing to pay council tax is one line of enquiry into his death.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has revealed four-prongs to its investigation into the death of Steven Bore, 31, who died after being arrested in the middle of the night for failing to pay council tax.

The watchdog launched a probe into his death last month after he fell from a jetty at Smallgains Marina, Canvey.

Two Essex Police officers, who had a warrant for non-payment of council tax, arrested Mr Bore on a houseboat just after midnight on Sunday, February 17.

The IPCC says its investigation is “progressing” and investigators have also met with family members to explain its role and how the investigation will move forward.

The investigation is focusing on the following four points:

• The circumstances and rationale for executing the warrant on behalf of Castle Point Council, and in particular for executing it at around midnight.

• Any associated risk assessment carried out by the officers.

• The officers’ interaction with Mr Bore and anyone else present on the boat before he was escorted away.

• The officers’ actions and care of Mr Bore after they left the boat, including how they escorted him along the jetty, and their actions and care of him after they realised he had fallen.

A spokesman for the watchdog said as Mr Bore was being escorted from the boat, he fell about four feet from the narrow jetty onto an embankment - it has been confirmed he was not handcuffed or restrained at the time.

The officers then moved Mr Bore to a nearby car parking area and called an ambulance, while attempting to resuscitate him.

He was taken to Basildon Hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead at 2.43am.

Mary Cunneen, IPCC Commissioner, said: “Our independent investigation is progressing well and we have assured family members that we will conduct a rigorous inquiry to examine the actions of the police officers in these tragic circumstances.”