Pathologist questions police use of sleeper hold

Police should use a dangerous neck hold to restrain alleged offenders only as a last resort, says a Wellington pathologist.

The death of Robin Hampton, 42, showed the hazards of using the carotid hold, Dr Ken Thomson told a Coroner's Court.

Mr Hampton, a furniture remover, died in Wellington Hospital on April 17 last year, three days after collapsing in custody at Lower Hutt police station.

He was arrested by Constable Michael Doocey in a confrontation after a traffic incident in Naenae.

A police investigation found Mr Doocey had not been culpable when he restrained Mr Hampton.

The death is being investigated by the Police Complaints Authority.

Dr Thomson, who carried out the autopsy, told coroner Garry Evans that Mr Hampton's propensity to thrombosis meant he should not have been put in a carotid hold.

The hold is a neck restraint that restricts blood supply.

Mr Hampton had an undisclosed chest tumour. It affected his shoulder and probably caused chronic pain that might have influenced his behaviour.

Dr Thomson accepted that police use of such a hold might be a necessary evil, but that it should be an option of last resort.

He found no evidence of Mr Doocey using excessive force.

Dr Thomson said in a normal adult he would not have expected the consequences to be so serious.

Mr Hampton's wife, Debra, said her husband had a cancerous growth in his neck five years ago that was removed by surgery. He had been on ACC, because of a shoulder problem, when he died.

Mr Doocey, under questioning, said Mr Hampton could not be talked out of his threatening and abusive behaviour.

Mr Doocey felt at the time that the carotid hold would be the most effective way to restrain Mr Hampton after he refused to be handcuffed.

Constable Joseph Wong-Pown, who responded to a call for help, arrived to find Mr Doocey on top of Mr Hampton on the grass verge.

Mr Hampton was on his stomach with his hands behind his back. He was abusive but not struggling.

Under questioning, Mr Wong-Pown said the carotid hold was not normally applied to someone lying face down on the ground.

The hearing continues.

- NZPA