Diss man who died after being detained by police had taken amphetmines, inquest hears

A man who died hours after being detained by police had taken amphetamines, an inquest heard this week.

However, the amount taken by Krystian Kilkowski, who died at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on August 11, 2020, was not considered to be fatal, jurors heard.

Police had been called to Mr Kilkowski’s home in Cotman Close, Diss, on August 10, after reports he was behaving strangely.

Jurors were shown footage live steamed to the machine operator’s Facebook page from outside his home, where he repeatedly told officers that he was going to die.

He then asked: “Why do you want to kill me? You want to kill me, I’m scared now, I need help. I care about my life. I’ve never had a problem with the police – it’s making me scared.”

Mr Kilkowski’s behaviour became increasingly erratic, leading him to run from officers towards Morrisons supermarket, where he was detained, and then later restrained by five officers using arm and leg cuffs.

Mr Kilkowski, the jury heard on Wednesday, cut his wrists on the cuffs and also bit his tongue as he struggled to free himself.

Officers called for ambulance assistance, but the inquest at Norfolk Coroner’s Court heard that initial calls did not involve a full clinical assessment and officers were simply told an ambulance was on its way.

The inquest heard from experienced London paramedic John Faulkner, who gave his assessment of the situation.

He felt Mr Kilkowski, who died on his birthday, the following day, was potentially showing signs of acute behavioural disturbance and the incident could have been escalated earlier in the hope of an ambulance arriving sooner.

A toxicology report showed Mr Kilkowski had 0.13mg of amphetamine per litre of blood in his system, five hours after he was detained on August 10.

But toxicologist Jefir Sharif said the amount in his system was generally considered to be lower than that considered to be fatal.

Mr Kilkwoski was detained by police by under the Mental Health Act.

Paramedic John Faulkner said that, after watching footage from officer bodycams and listening to evidence, he felt the incident was more akin to a medical emergency.

The inquest continues.