PC charged with assaulting man, 80, in custody
BBCA police officer has been charged with assaulting an 80-year-old man who had been taken into police custody.
It follows an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into Cheshire Police's contact with the man, who became seriously unwell during his time in custody in Runcorn.
PC Benjamin Betts, based in Warrington, is due to appear at Liverpool and Knowsley Magistrates' Court on Thursday charged with assault by beating.
The IOPC investigation considered the use of force during part of the man's time at the North Cheshire Custody Facility following his arrest on suspicion of drink driving.
The man had been arrested shortly after 23:30 BST on 7 December 2025 and arrived in custody in the early hours of the following morning, the watchdog previously said.
At 06:00 staff reported the man was having a seizure and he was taken to hospital, where it was discovered he had had a stroke.
A separate investigation into the actions of officers involved in the man's arrest, detention, and the response to his medical episode was continuing.
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