Wishaw Press

Ross Thomson

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A man who died in police custody was arrested after brandishin­g a machete in the street, a court has heard

Steven Chesney, 33, collapsed after officers took him to a police station following his arrest at a house disturbanc­e.

He was originally taken to Motherwell Police Station but was rushed to nearby Wishaw General Hospital where he later died after falling ill.

It was thought he had suffered a fit or a seizure as he was taken to the station.

Now a sheriff is set to investigat­e the circumstan­ces surroundin­g his death during a fatal accident inquiry at Hamilton Sheriff Court next year.

Sheriff Douglas Brown will hear from experts and eye witnesses how father-of-one Chesney, of Cleland, collapsed and died in May last year.

A preliminar­y hearing into the incident heard claims police raced to his house after receiving a report that he was armed with a machete in the street.

He was arrested but it is claimed he began showing “seizure like activity” once he arrived at the police station.

The hearing also heard CCTV cameras at Motherwell Police Station missed parts of a bid to save his life in a car park.

He became unwell in the holding area of the station and was taken back out where officers performed CPR before he was taken to hospital.

A camera operator realised something was happening and turned the camera onto the scene as emergency resuscitat­ion had begun.

A further hearing will take place in February while the full fatal accident inquiry is expected to begin in March and last for a week.

The death was also probed by the Police Investigat­ions and Review Commission­er (PIRC) who are yet to reveal their findings.

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