POLICE officers face gross incompetency hearings after an inquest found a father-of-three died after holiday park security workers used 'excessive' force in restraining him.

Two Suffolk police officers face the hearings after an inquest into the death of 38-year-old Paul Reynolds, also known as Paul Gladwell, at Pontins holiday park, in Lowestoft.

Mr Reynolds, from Colchester, was held in a prone position for around 11 minutes with a knee to his back after an initial neck hold, Suffolk Coroner's Court heard.

Jurors, who listened to evidence during a three-week hearing, found that the restraint methods were not “appropriate or proportionate” and Mr Reynolds had not been physically violent.

He was restrained by security and other staff until police arrived on the evening of February 14, 2017.

The inquest heard an argument had broken out after Mr Reynold's partner became concerned over a child hitting her son.

She said this concern culminated in her making a comment to the child’s parent in a communal area of the holiday park.

This argument spiralled into the restraint deployed by security staff. 

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Mr Reynolds was handcuffed and placed in a police van, then became unwell while on journey to the police investigation centre.

The van was stopped, an ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital, where he died on February 16.

Jurors, who reached a lengthy narrative conclusion guided by 15 questions, found that Mr Reynolds would have lived if he had not been restrained.

They also found there were missed opportunities to save Mr Reynolds, noting if Pontins staff or police recognised he was unresponsive, placed him in the recovery position and called an ambulance he would have survived.

Halstead Gazette: Paul Reynolds with his partner Carrie Bennett. Paul was held in a prone position for around 11 minutes with a knee to his back after an initial neck holdPaul Reynolds with his partner Carrie Bennett. Paul was held in a prone position for around 11 minutes with a knee to his back after an initial neck hold

Suffolk Constabulary said it had found the force's management of first aid training should be improved.

The officers involved in the arrest faced a criminal investigation, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided against bringing charges.

The force said: "A parallel criminal investigation, carried out by the force, looked at the actions of security staff who initially restrained Mr Reynolds. 

"No charges were brought against them.

"Our final report, concluded in July 2018 and delayed by the parallel criminal investigation, was shared with the family and the force.

"Suffolk Constabulary agreed with our conclusion that two officers should face a gross incompetency hearing, and the force will arrange a hearing in due course.

"We agreed they failed to properly assess the consciousness of Mr Reynolds and apply first aid principles.

"A third officer has since resigned from the force and cannot be subject to a gross incompetency hearing.

"During our investigation we identified learning and the force accepted our recommendations for improvement of its systems to ensure officers and staff have up to date first aid training to the level required for their role."

Graham Beesley, the Independent Office for Police Conduct's regional director, added: “Our thoughts remain with Mr Reynolds’ family and all those affected by his death.

"We provided our investigation report to the Suffolk Constabulary and HM Coroner when our investigation concluded in 2018 and assisted the inquest by providing the evidence we gathered.

“Our role is to ensure that when there is a death following police contact, all the circumstances are thoroughly examined.

“Two officers will now face gross incompetency hearings, arranged by the force, to answer for the role they played in the incident.”