‘Trust at fault over man held by police’

A mentally ill man was held unlawfully in a Manchester police cell for three days because of “inaction” by a local care trust, an investigation has found.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission raised serious concerns about the actions of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust, saying they placed police officers in “an extremely difficult position”.

The 34-year-old was arrested for possession of an offensive weapon on 7 March 2005. He was diagnosed as suffering from a mental illness, and the paperwork for him to be sectioned was completed that day. But delays in finding accommodation meant it took until the afternoon of 10 March before he was transferred  to Wythenshawe Hospital.

A trust spokesperson said the delay was “unacceptable”.

It is developing a protocol with police to ensure a senior manager takes responsibility until a bed is found.