Mum blames police for son's death after stop and search

A MOTHER says she blames the police for her son's death after he suffered a heart attack when he was stopped and searched.

Paul Adamson, 44, complained of chest pains after two police officers restrained and handcuffed him.

Mr Adamson was cycling to an all-night garage to get milk, biscuits and paracetamol when he was stopped by plain-clothed PCs Dave Worrall and Paul Kettlewell.

An inquest into his death heard Mr Adamson, of Barham Road, Bilton Grange, east Hull, had a significant undiagnosed heart disease.

A jury said his reaction to being searched triggered the fatal heart attack.

An internal investigation conducted by Humberside Police has found no evidence of misconduct.

But Mr Adamson's mother, Kath, 78, said: "As far as I'm concerned, the police caused my lad's death.

"The shock of being stopped is what made him have a heart attack. He was just out on his bike when the two plain-clothed policemen started chasing after him."

The officers said Mr Adamson became aggressive after they stopped him in Hermes Close, east Hull, at 2.28am on November 17 last year.

PC Kettlewell said his colleague shouted, "Stop, police," when he got out of the van but Mr Adamson continued to try to manoeuvre his bike through some bars at the entrance to an alleyway.

They handcuffed him and restrained him on the ground, with PC Kettlewell putting his knee on Mr Adamson's back and PC Worrall kneeling on his legs until uniformed officers arrived.

PC William Walkeden, who arrived to help the search, said in a statement: "As I handed his bike to Adamson, I noticed Adamson took a large deep breath. He grabbed his upper arm with his right hand.

"I saw his face crease up and he appeared to be in pain. He immediately told us he didn't feel well and that he had chest pains.

"It appeared to me as though he was having a heart attack."

An ambulance was called at 2.43am. Mr Adamson was pronounced dead at 4.12am after attempts to resuscitate him at Hull Royal Infirmary failed.

Pathologist Dr Kim Suvarna said Mr Adamson had "significant, pre-existing" heart disease, which put him at risk of sudden death at any time.

In a report submitted to the inquest, Dr Suvarna said: "It is understood this individual had been involved in a period of excitement or stress prior to collapse and this may have interplayed with the heart having to work faster and harder as a consequence of stress responses.

"However, in the context of an enlarged heart and significantly impaired coronary circulation, the situation could provoke sudden death."

Mrs Adamson said: "It doesn't matter if he could have died at any time, I believe the police brought on the stress that caused the heart attack.

"It is devastating. You never dream you will lose one of your children before you die."

In returning a narrative verdict, the inquest jury ruled Mr Adamson's reaction to being stopped "tipped the balance, triggering a fatal heart attack".

Mr Adamson's brother, Mike, 42, said: "They said he was aggressive towards them but he would have been if he didn't realise they were coppers. If they had been in uniform, he would have just stopped for them."

At the time, Mr Adamson told the officers he was paranoid because he had recently been assaulted in a row over a former partner.

PC Walkeden said: "He apologised for trying to get away and explained he had been assaulted. He stated this was why he was agitated."

The search happened during Operation Conqueror, which was launched last year to combat a rising number of burglaries in the Ings Road area.

It involved flooding the streets with plain-clothed officers during the early hours of the morning and stopping anyone who looked suspicious.

PC Worrall said he and PC Kettlewell decided to stop Mr Adamson "due to the lateness of the hour" and because he was carrying a bag.

The officers noticed Mr Adamson and his friend, Colin Todd, who was also on a bike, as they travelled in their white unmarked van along Barham Road.

They decided to follow Mr Adamson after the pair separated and he cycled on to Greenwich Avenue, heading towards the garage in Maybury Road.

The search was to check for "stolen or prohibited items". The only items Mr Adamson was carrying was cash, a shopping list and cigarette papers.

Detective Superintendent Ray Higgins, who led the internal investigation into Mr Adamson's death said: "It is not uncommon for people to be agitated when they are stopped by the police. It is a naturally stressful encounter and it is tragic in this case that Mr Adamson was suffering from such ill health that it triggered a heart attack.

"There was a tragedy in this case, but officers were doing their best to keep the people of Hull safe."