Drugs link to Karl Brunner's death on Bedford pavement

A man who died as he was being arrested by police had swallowed drugs just moments before, an inquest has heard.
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The death of Karl Brunner, 48, while he was being pinned down by plain-clothed police officers earlier this month was captured on video and put on the internet.

Yesterday an inquest into his death heard that Mr Brunner of, Bedford, died on Wednesday, May 11 after police officers tried to stop and search him. He lost consciousness as three officers restrained him on the pavement in Bedford town centre, but the court heard he had ingested “a quantity of drugs” moments before.

Attempts were made to resuscitate him at the scene and he was rushed to Bedford Hospital but was pronounced dead at 13.17pm. The distressing incident in Bedford town centre was caught on camera by a passer-by.

Footage showed Mr Brunner being pinned to the ground on Midland Road by the undercover officers before he passes out.

Friends put flowers at the scene then were horrified when vandals trashed them (pictured).

Senior coroner for Bedfordshire and Luton, Thomas Osborne, opened the inquest into his death yesterday (Wednesday) at Central Bedfordshire’s coroner court in Ampthill.

Three of Mr Brunner’s sons, Ben and Wayne Ireson, and Dylan Martin were present at the hearing and they formally requested that a second post-mortem examination be undertaken on their father’s body.

The preliminary examination had not revealed the cause of death, which remains unascertained.

Mr Osborne expressed his condolences to them and said: “I note the family’s wish that I postpone the release of the body for a second post-mortem, it will remain with me until I receive instructions from their solicitors.”

The coroner also set a date for a preliminary inquest review for November 30 and set a date for a seven-day inquest starting on April 18 next year.

He told the family “I apologise for the delay but with the best will in the world it is not going to be any earlier because of the huge amount of work which needs to be done.

“Of course it needs to be done quickly but it needs to be done thoroughly, if I try truncate it then it will not be done to my satisfaction.”

John Downs was present as a solicitor representing the Police Federation.

Mr Brunner’s death is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).