Inquest date set for Newport man Mouayed Bashir who died after being restrained by police

An inquest date has been set over the case of a man who died after being restrained by police.

Mouayed Bashir, 29, was pronounced dead in hospital after emergency services attended his home in Maesglas Crescent, Newport, on February 17.

Newport Coroner's Court heard police restrained Mr Bashir, who was born in Pakistan, before his death.

Caroline Saunders, senior coroner for Gwent, said a jury inquest would take place in July next year.

A short hearing was told police and paramedics were called to Mr Bashir's home on February 17.

Paul Richardson, coroner's officer, said: "Police restrained Mr Bashir and transported him to hospital by ambulance.

"He was sadly pronounced life extinct at 11.41am the same day at the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran."

A post-mortem examination was carried out on February 18 but "no precise cause of death" has yet been given, Mr Richardson said.

He told the hearing, which was attended by Mr Bashir's family, that his body had been released for the purposes of a funeral.

"The Independent Office for Police Conduct is currently investigating the circumstances of the incident," Mr Richardson added.

The court heard that Mr Bashir was formally identified by his father.

Ms Saunders said she was satisfied that Mr Bashir had been appropriately identified.

She told the hearing: "The circumstances of his death in that he died in or shortly after being in police custody and that his cause of death is currently unascertained require me to investigate his death under the terms of an inquest, and so I do now formally open the inquest touching on the death of Mr Bashir."

She listed the inquest to begin on the week of July 11 next year.

Ms Saunders said the court had been "severely affected" by the coronavirus pandemic and had a significant backlog of cases to be heard.

"In addition, there are a significant number of cases which need to be heard with a jury," she added.

"We have only just started hearing jury cases again. Mouayed's inquest must be heard with a jury and therefore July next year is the first available date that I can hear his inquest."