Woman asked for a doctor before death

By [egregson]

JURORS have heard that a woman requested to see a doctor just  hours before she was found dead  in a police cell.

Sally Ann Horman,  51, a   renowned interior designer from  Ottery St Mary, died in police  custody at Heavitree Road police  station, Exeter, four years ago  after being arrested on suspicion  of drink driving for the second  time in 13 days.

During a three-day inquest into her death, pathologist Dr Debbie Cook said Ms Horman,  known as Sal, died from acute  alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The inquest heard how Ms  Horman had previously displayed alcohol withdrawal symptoms — including shaking and  sweating — following her arrest  and detention two weeks earlier.

But on the night of her second  arrest she was not placed in one  of the custody suite’s six cells  with video monitoring because it  was a busy Saturday night and  they had “run out”.

She was checked every  30 minutes for two hours in her cell by  detention officers. And she was  visited by a doctor during the  night who administered diazepam to treat the symptoms of  alcohol withdrawal.

Detention officer Andrea Bicknell told the inquest: “At 3.30am I  observed her begin to shake. I  mentioned my concerns to the  doctor.  It was my personal opinion that she was starting to get  alcohol withdrawal.

“Sal was in a non-camera cell  as we had run out of camera cells  for detainees. We were not in a  position to move out any of the  others from the camera cells. It  would have been my preference  to place her in a camera cell.”

Video footage of Ms Horman  being charged the next morning  showed her ask for a doctor and  some diazepam.

And when custody officer  Sergeant Edward Stokes asked  her why, she responded that she  was “shaking”.

Giving evidence at the inquest  Sgt Stokes said that he was aware  Ms Horman was an alcoholic and  that he had taken her request to  see a doctor seriously.

The inquest heard that Ms Horman had been due medication at  noon.

Sgt Stokes said: “When she appeared before me I could see what  I determined to be minor shakes.  When a video cell became available we put her in there.”

Sgt Stokes said that he was  mindful of Ms Horman’s symptoms and her visit by the doctor  when she was moved to a  video-monitored cell.

The inquest heard how Ms  Horman was four times over the  legal alcohol limit after she was  arrested by police on Saturday,  September 24, 2005.

Ms Horman’s children Sophie,  25, Emily, 22, and James, 19, sat  together at the inquest, which is  expected to finish today.