- Ashley Crews was not handcuffed when officers entered his flat in Manchester
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A man about to be arrested over child sex abuse images jumped to his death from a bedroom window in front of police officers.
Ashley Crews, aged in his 40s, fell from the ninth floor of a tower block on Hamerton Road, in Collyhurst, Manchester, on February 20.
Officers had entered his flat to carry out an arrest on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.
But they did not place him in handcuffs and followed him into his bedroom where Mr Crews opened a window and jumped out, a coroner’s report revealed.
Paramedics raced to the building and alongside officers fought to save his life. Mr Crews was pronounced dead at the scene.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has referred itself to the police watchdog which has launched an independent investigation.
Coroner Zak Golombeck has raised concerns in a ‘prevention of future deaths’ report that there is currently no local policy for the use of handcuffs when executing an arrest warrant.
Writing to the chief coroner, College of Policing, GMP and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), ahead of a full inquest into Mr Crews’ death being held, he said: ‘There is concern that future deaths will occur, and I am of the opinion that action should be taken to reduce the risk of death.’
Mr Golombeck said ‘attending officers’ didn’t apply handcuffs and Mr Crews walked to his bedroom after they entered his flat. ‘Some’ officers are said to have followed him, but he ‘was able to open a window and jump out’.
The organisations have 56 days to respond to the report and confirm what action they have or propose to take.
An inquest into Mr Crews’ death was opened on March 12 this year. A final inquest hearing has not yet taken place.
The IOPC said the College of Policing sets national policy.
A spokesperson for the IOPC said: ‘Our independent investigation into an incident in which a man fell from a property in Collyhurst, north Manchester, on Tuesday 20 February after Greater Manchester Police officers attended continues to progress.
‘We acknowledge the coroner’s report that has been published this week and we will be looking at what local and national policies are in place. At the end of our investigation we will consider organisational and national learning recommendations.’
A GMP spokesperson said in response: ‘We have seen the report and will be assessing this, however as there is a live IOPC investigation into this incident, at this time it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to comment.’