A former custody nurse has been charged with custody death manslaughter following the death of 38-year-old William Cameron, who died in police custody in Reading in 2020. Sean Cregg, 35, who was working for Mountain Healthcare at the time, faces one count of gross negligence manslaughter and a second charge under section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The charges follow an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into Mr Cameron’s death after he was arrested and taken to Loddon Valley Police Station on 8 January 2020. He died later the same day in hospital.
CPS authorises prosecution after IOPC investigation
The IOPC launched its investigation immediately following Cameron’s death and submitted a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in March 2021. After additional evidence was requested and reviewed, the CPS authorised charges against Mr Cregg, who is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 1 July.
A police sergeant who was also referred to the CPS will not face charges, according to the IOPC.
Healthcare provider issues statement on safety
Mountain Healthcare, which provided custody healthcare services to Thames Valley Police at the time, expressed condolences to Mr Cameron’s family but declined to comment further due to the ongoing legal proceedings. The company confirmed that Mr Cregg has not worked with them since the 2020 incident.
“Our priority continues to be the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of those we support in custody,” a spokesperson said, noting that independent audits regularly affirm their commitment to safety standards.
Police response and legal caution
Thames Valley Police also stated it would not comment while proceedings are ongoing but said its thoughts remain with Mr Cameron’s family.
Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, urged the public and media to refrain from publishing or sharing content that could affect the fairness of the trial.
