An investigation has been initiated regarding the passing of a bodybuilder who encountered a brief altercation with law enforcement officials.
Craig Clegg, aged 49, was apprehended by officers from Merseyside Police after they received reports about his well-being. It was revealed during a preliminary inquiry last May that Mr. Clegg appeared distressed and was going door-to-door before authorities intervened following multiple distress calls from concerned citizens in the vicinity.
Police responded to his residence in Lydiate, Sefton, around 10:45 pm on September 16, 2024. Former senior coroner for Sefton St Helens and Knowsley, Julie Goulding, detailed the police arrival and the subsequent detainment of Mr. Clegg after a brief scuffle.
Quoting a Home Office post-mortem report from the previous year, Ms. Goulding stated, “Upon reviewing body camera footage, a brief struggle occurred between the officers and Mr. Clegg.” He passed away later that same evening.
During a session at Bootle Town Hall today, an inquiry into the death was officially launched. Discussions are ongoing regarding the scheduling of a full inquest, with current coroner Elizabeth Wheeler adjourning the case to a later unspecified date.
This development came after Ms. Goulding noted the absence of evidence indicating that forceful techniques such as kneeling on Mr. Clegg or applying a headlock were used, and that police restraint was not a significant factor in his demise. She made these observations while referencing the post-mortem report.
She added, “The evidence indicates that police officers collaborated in administering CPR until paramedics arrived.” Mr. Clegg was transported from the scene in Lydiate to Aintree University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
A report on the incident attributed Mr. Clegg’s demise to complications arising from cocaine toxicity. Ms. Wheeler categorized the death as unnatural, necessitating the holding of an inquest.
Following Mr. Clegg’s passing, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation due to his interaction with officers just before his demise.
The IOPC confirmed to the ECHO in January of the previous year that its inquiry into Merseyside Police’s involvement had concluded. Ms. Goulding mentioned during the pre-inquest review that no lessons or improvements were identified by the investigator in her report.
When questioned about the investigation’s outcome at the beginning of the prior year, the IOPC declined to comment, stating that findings would be disclosed post the inquest into Mr. Clegg’s death.
In a statement, his family expressed, “Craig’s family seeks a thorough investigation and hopes that all involved parties, including Merseyside Police and North West Ambulance Service, are willing to fully examine the response to the medical emergency experienced by Craig on the day of his passing.”
Clegg had previously secured victory in the over-45s North West bodybuilding competition and was a regular participant in amateur bodybuilding contests.
