Colchester police station's cells closed after investigation finds 'serious problems'

It means anyone arrested in the town may have to be transported up to 24 miles away to be detained.

Essex Police bosses say an inspection by the force found a number of problems, some of which could lead to harm being caused to detainees.

It is understood the issues relate to detainees who are female, youths or vulnerable.

The force said the inspection was routine and was not brought on by a specific incident.

While the 17-cell suite is closed, anyone who is arrested in Colchester is being taken to police stations 16 miles away in Chelmsford, which has 15 cells, or Clacton, which has 12 cells and is 24 miles away.

The county’s largest custody suite is in Southend, which has 30 cells.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “A routine inspection of Colchester police station’s custody facilities has highlighted defects which could have health and safety or welfare implications for detainees.

“A programme of works has been commissioned and the custody suite will be closed for a number of weeks.

“Custody suites in Chelmsford and Clacton will be used to detain prisoners until Colchester’s facilities have reopened.”

Spokesmen for HMIC and HMIP said the organisations had not received any notification of the internal inspection and subsequent closure.

However, an Essex Police spokesman said the force is under no obligation to notify either watchdog.

In  May 2015, a 33-year-old man lost the tops of three fingers while being detained at Colchester police station. 

An Independent Police Complaints Commission is yet to publish its findings on the incident which saw a number of officers enter the man’s cell in the early hours of Friday, May 1. 

At the time the man was standing with one foot in the toilet bowl.

The man held on to the rim on the metal toilet bowl in the cell and up to six officers were then involved in his restraint.

During the incident, the tops of three of the man’s fingers on his left hand were severed and the man was taken to hospital for treatment.

The tops of the fingers were later recovered from inside the toilet and transported to hospital.

IPCC investigators are looking into the "appropriateness of restraint used by officers", including "whether the officers’ actions contributed to the man’s injuries and whether any first aid was provided before he was taken to hospital". 

The investigation was also due to consider whether the man’s mental health or nationality influenced the actions of officers involved in the incident.