Police officers who restrained a London student at a psychiatric hospital shortly before he died will not face charges over the incident, prosecutors have said.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) today said there was insufficient evidence in the case against the officers involved in the death of Olaseni Lewis.
The 23-year-old IT graduate was restrained by a number of Metropolitan Police officers at the Bethlem Royal Hospital in south east London on September 4, 2010.
Mr Lewis, who was known as Seni, voluntarily admitted himself to the psychiatric hospital after his family became concerned about his behaviour.
He slipped into a coma following the restraining incident and died four days later after being put on life-support.
The CPS today said the Met police officers would not face charges despite additional evidence being supplied by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
In a statement, it said it "has decided that there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of a conviction against any of the police officers involved in Mr Lewis' restraint for any offence".
It added: "The additional material recently supplied by the IPCC has not changed the evidential position in relation to possible criminal charges."
The CPS said that as regarded a possible offence of actual bodily harm (ABH), there was insufficient evidence that strikes with a police baton, which left only superficial injury, and the handcuffing of Mr Lewis were unreasonable or unlawful in the circumstances "and cannot be considered as amounting to the offence of assault occasioning ABH as defined by law".
It reached the same conclusion with regard to unlawful act manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter and potential charges of misconduct in a public office.
It concluded that it was a matter for the IPCC whether it chose to bring internal disciplinary proceedings against the police officers involved.
An IPCC investigation into Mr Lewis' death originally found the officers involved had no case to answer, but last year the police watchdog reversed this decision, claiming officers “may have committed criminal offences".
Mr Lewis' mother Ajibola has previously said the family "would not stop" until they have answers about his death.
A CPS spokesman acknowledged today's decision was likely to be "hugely disappointing and frustrating for the family of Mr Lewis."
He added: "We have written to Mr Lewis' family to explain our decision in detail and to offer a meeting should they want one."
Additional reporting by the Press Association
