120 deaths in police custody over last decade - here's how Cambridgeshire and Peterborough compares

One person in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough died in police custody over the last decade, new figures show.

The death of American George Floyd has highlighted the issue of people dying in police custody, particularly those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.

More than 120 people died in police custody across England and Wales between 2011-19.

Ministry of Justice figures show Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Coroner's Court recorded one death over this time.

Though the ethnicity of those who died is not available, separate figures from the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is responsible for overseeing the system for handling complaints against police forces, show that between 2009-10 and 2018-19 black people made up 8 per cent of deaths.

This was despite them comprising just 3 per cent of the population, according to estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis has sparked Black Lives Matter protests in many parts of the world, including several major UK cities.

Charity Detention Action said the black community in the UK is over-policed and under-protected.

Bella Sankey, director of the organisation, said: "In the wake of the gruesome killing of George Floyd by US police, the UK must reflect on its own record of systemic racism towards black people."

An IOPC spokeswoman said: “Every death in police custody or death following police contact can have a tragic and lifelong impact on the family and friends of those who have died. It can also have a lasting impact on those involved in their detention.

“It is critical that we thoroughly examine the circumstances of each to ensure that those involved are held accountable, and importantly to identify if there are lessons to be learnt to help prevent future deaths."

Deaths in police custody in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough made up just a small percentage of all of those who died while in state detention - which includes prisons and those detained under the mental health act - in the last decade.

The IOPC added it was concerned that last year's figures showed a high proportion of people dying who were vulnerable through mental health, and had links to drugs and alcohol.

It said this was system-wide issue, not just a policing one, that needs addressed by all involved.

A government spokeswoman said: “Every death in police custody is a tragedy and we are fully aware of the lasting impact this can have on family and friends.

"Deaths are always investigated by the Independent Office of Police Conduct, but it is vital we do everything possible to prevent them happening in the first place. This is why we are committed to delivering on the recommendation’s published in the 2017 independent review of deaths and serious incidents in police custody.”