Nuno Cardoso: Police investigated over death of black law student who was restrained in van

Mother calls for justice after man who aspired to become ‘best lawyer in the country’ dies in Oxford

Nuno Cardoso, 25, died after being restrained by police in Oxford (GoFundMe)

A law student who wanted to be the “best lawyer in the country” has become the fifth young black man to die after being restrained by police officers this year.

The mother of Nuno Cardoso, 25, demanded “justice” for her son after he collapsed in the back of a police van in Oxford.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said four Thames Valley Police officers involved in the incident were under investigation.

Mr Cardoso, who was originally from London, was arrested and restrained after an assault was reported in the early hours of 24 November.

“At around 5.30am, Mr Cardoso was being taken to a police station in the back of a police van when officers reported that he had become unwell,” a spokesperson for the IPCC said.

“Officers stopped the van in order to administer CPR. Additional officers arrived at the scene with a defibrillator and provided further medical assistance.

“He was taken by ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where he died later that day.”

Mr Cardoso was described as a ‘caring and good-natured young man [who] enjoyed living life’ (GoFundMe)

Investigators have taken initial accounts from officers, reviewed footage from body-worn cameras showing Mr Cardoso’s arrest and medical treatment, and met his relatives.

A post-mortem proved inconclusive and further tests are being carried out to establish the cause of death, which will be examined at an inquest.

Doroteia dos Santos, Mr Cardoso’s mother, called for those responsible for her son’s death to be held to account.

“The number of deaths in police custody, particularly of young black men, makes me worried that something is wrong,” she said.

“I have so many questions about how this could have happened to my son. Police officers are meant to be trained to notice if people are unwell and to ensure that they can keep people in their custody safe.

“I trust that there will be a thorough investigation, and I believe that any failures can be found out and the people responsible held to account. I just want justice for my son.”

IPCC Associate Commissioner Guido Liguori said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr Cardoso and all those affected by his death

“The investigation, which is in its very early stages, will look at the full circumstances surrounding this incident.”

Mr Cardoso grew up in north London but moved to Oxford in September to start a law course at Ruskin College.

The Ruskin Students Stand Up to Racism group urged police to be as “open as possible” as the probe continues, while principal Paul di Felice paid tribute to a “valued student” who was highly regarded by his peers.

Supporters have raised more than £2,500 for Mr Cardoso’s family on a crowdfunding page set up by friend Tia Murray.

She described him as a “caring and good-natured young man [who] enjoyed living life and strived to create a better one for himself and those around him”.

Mr Cardoso aspired to become a lawyer and had enrolled for a law degree at university, she said.

Representatives of his family said he told relatives of his ambition to be the “best lawyer in the country”.

Ruth Mellor, of Saunders Law, said: “Any concerns that might come to light around the actions or omissions of the police officers or paramedics involved in these events should be robustly examined to ensure proper accountability and justice.

“Mr Cardoso’s family must be allowed to properly engage in these investigations; their concerns must be addressed, and their questions answered.”

Campaigners at Inquest, the charity providing expertise on state-related deaths and their investigation, said it was “despairing” to end 2017 with yet another restraint-related death of a black man.

“Enough is enough,” said director Deborah Coles. “That young black men are dying with such regularity shows that this is a systemic problem that needs urgent attention.”

Edson Da Costa, 25, died in east London following restraint by police in June; Shane Bryant, 29, died in Leicestershire following restraint on 15 July; Darren Cumberbatch, 32, died in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, following restraint by police on 19 July; and four days later, 20-year-old Rashan Charles died after being chased by police in Hackney.

Mr Cardoso’s death came weeks after an independent review into deaths in police custody said forces must recognise that “all restraint has the potential to cause death”.

Dame Elish Angiolini warned that training on restraint techniques across the 43 police forces in England and Wales is sporadic and inconsistent, concluding: “National policing policy, practice and training must reflect the now widely evident position that the use of force and restraint against anyone in mental health crisis or suffering from some form of drug or substance induced psychosis poses a life-threatening risk.”

All eight prosecutions of police officers over deaths in custody in the last 15 years have ended with acquittals, even where coroners have issued unlawful killing verdicts in inquests.

Anyone who witnessed the events surrounding Mr Cardoso’s arrest or the medical treatment he received is urged to contact the IPCC on 0800 029 4690.