Queensland police used the “minimum force necessary” when they restrained an Indigenous man during a violent, drug-induced episode, an inquest has heard.

Shaun Coolwell, 33, died on 2 October 2015, soon after being given a sedative and restrained with handcuffs.

The Brisbane coroners court heard on Monday that paramedics and police were called to his home in Kingston, south of Brisbane, after Coolwell began yelling and trying to hit his head on a bathroom doorframe.

Two constables told the court that they did everything they could to help Coolwell after receiving reports he was a suicide risk.

“I can’t think of anything that we could have done differently,” Constable Barend Truter said.

Constable Tamzin Zarycki said: “I still believe that it was in Mr Coolwell’s best interest to be restrained at the time.”

She said Coolwell was “uncontrollable”, bleeding and incoherent when they arrived at his home around 11.30am.

“He was unclothed at the time, he was face down on the floor,” she said.

Zarycki said they made the decision to handcuff Coolwell because he continued to “thrash around”, trying to bash his head against the bathroom doorframe.

“We were still fearful that he may injure himself further,” she said.

Truter said he used his knee to hold down Coolwell’s legs to prevent him from kicking and splashing blood on to him. He said he monitored his breathing and repeatedly lifted his shoulder off the ground to make sure his airways were clear.

The pair continued to restrain Coolwell so paramedics could inject him with a sedative.

The court heard he developed breathing problems and became unconscious. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he died in hospital a few hours later.

The actions of the police officers were investigated by Queensland police service ethical standards command, which cleared them of any wrongdoing.

“I found their actions to be lawful,” Detective Senior Sergeant Lisa Scully told the court. “I found that they used the minimum force required, they didn’t use capsicum spray, they didn’t use a Taser ... they chose to restrain Mr Coolwell for his own safety and benefit.”

Neighbour William Knight, who witnessed the incident, described Coolwell as “out of control”.

Knight denied he had any concerns that police were too rough in handling his neighbour.

Two autopsies found there were multiple possible contributors to Coolwell’s death, including amphetamine use, a poor heart condition, the sedative and restraint, and his delirium at the time.

The inquest continues.