Kingsley Burrell: Three officers charged following custody death Published duration 12 October 2016

image copyright Burrell family image caption An inquest found prolonged restraint and failure to provide medical help contributed to Kingsley Burrell's death

Three police officers have been charged with perjury following the death of a student in custody five years ago.

Kingsley Burrell, 29, died from cardiac arrest after being arrested following a disturbance in Birmingham in 2011.

An inquest in 2015 found restraint had been a factor in his death. The officers have also been charged with perverting the course of justice.

Constables Paul Adey, 36, Mark Fannon, 45, and Paul Greenfield, 50, have been suspended by West Midlands Police.

The charges relate to evidence given during Mr Burrell's inquest, the force said.

'Long time coming'

"After investigation by the IPCC, the matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions who has authorised the charges," it said in a statement.

The officers, who are all based at the Birmingham West and Central police station, will appear at the city's magistrates court on 31 October.

Mr Burrell was arrested and sectioned after calling police claiming two men has put a gun to his head. Days later he died from after a cardiac arrest at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

An initial investigation by the CPS found in July 2014 there was insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone over Mr Burrell's death.

But an inquest a year later concluded prolonged restraint and a failure to provide medical help had contributed to his death.

image caption Kingsley Burrell's mother Janet Brown (left) and his sister Kadisha have held several protests calling for answers over his death

The CPS relaunched a second investigation after the IPCC found there was a case to answer for gross misconduct against three officers, on the grounds of honesty and integrity.

Mr Burrell's family, who have held several protests demanding answers over his death, said the decision had been "a long time coming".

"The Burrell family welcome today's decision to prosecute the three officers concerned, in the belief that they must be publicly held to account for their actions in the circumstances surrounding the death of Kingsley," it said in a statement.