Craig Clegg, 49, was detained after police were called following concerns for his safety and he died later the same day he was held by officers – an inquest is set to be launched
An inquest has been opened into the death of a bodybuilder who had a “brief struggle” with police.
Craig Clegg, 49, was detained by Merseyside Police officers after they were called over concerns for his safety. It was previously heard during a pre-inquest review in May last year how Mr Clegg went “door-to-door in a totally distressed state” before police arrived following nine 999 calls from concerned people in the area.
Officers arrived at his home in Lydiate, in Sefton, at about 10:45pm on September 16, 2024. The then-senior coroner for Sefton St Helens and Knowsley, Julie Goulding, explained how police arrived and how after a “brief struggle,” Mr Clegg was detained.
Referencing a Home Office post-mortem report last year, Ms Goulding said: “After reviewing body worn footage, there is a brief struggle between the officers and Mr Clegg.” He died later that night.
During a hearing heard at Bootle Town Hall today, an inquest into the death was opened. Conversations remain over when a full inquest can take place with current coroner Elizabeth Wheeler adjourning the case until a later date that was not set.
It happened after Ms Goulding noted there had been no evidence of kneeling on Mr Clegg or a headlock being used, with the restraint by police not being found to have been a considerable cause of Mr Clegg’s death. Ms Goulding said as she referenced the post-mortem report.
She added: “The evidence shows that police officers worked together to deliver CPR until paramedics arrived.” Mr Clegg was taken from the scene in Lydiate to Aintree University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, reports the Liverpool Echo.
A report into the death concluded Mr Clegg’s caused of death was complications of cocaine toxicity. Ms Wheeler found the death to have been unnatural, prompting the need for an inquest to be held.
Following Mr Clegg’s death, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation due to him being in contact with officers immediately before his death.
The IOPC told the ECHO in January last year it had concluded its investigation into Merseyside Police’s involvement in the death, with Ms Goulding telling the pre-inquest review last year how there were no learnings or improvements identified by the investigator in her report.
When asked to comment on the conclusion of the investigation at the beginning of last year, IOPC declined and stated it would release findings following the inquest into Mr Clegg’s death.
In a statement his family said: “Craig’s family seek a full investigation and hope that all the parties involved including Merseyside Police and North West Ambulance Service are open to a full exploration of the response to the medical emergency experienced by Craig on the day that he died.”
Clegg previously won the over-45s North West bodybuilding competition and regularly competed in amateur bodybuilding competitions.
