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Homeless man dies after collapsing in police cell

12 April 2012

The police watchdog is investigating the death of a homeless man who was found collapsed in a cell.

The 36-year-old, believed to be from Lithuania, was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of begging and taken to Forest Gate police station, where he was booked into custody at 1.15pm.

He was found collapsed in his cell at about 8am the next day and taken to Newham General Hospital. He was then transferred to Royal London Hospital where he died at about 8.15pm yesterday, the Independent Police Complaints Commission said.

IPCC Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne said: "This investigation will focus on the care this man received while in police custody, to see if anything could have been done differently to prevent his death."

Inquiries are ongoing to trace the man's next of kin and formal identification has not yet taken place.

The IPCC said a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.

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Independent Police Complaints Commission
Lithuania
Newham
Police