Police fined over Thomas Orchard cell death

A police force has been fined nearly a quarter of a million pounds over health and safety breaches, relating to a belt which was used around the heads of people in custody. It follows the death of Thomas Orchard, who collapsed and later died after being restrained in Exeter in 2012. A judge ruled he could not be certain the belt had been a contributory factor in Mr Orchard’s death, but today was highly critical of Devon and Cornwall Police’s use of the device.