A suspected burglar who died in police custody after being Tasered while breaking into a family home has been named.

Adrian Thompson became unresponsive after being shot with a 50,000-volt stun gun following reports of a break-in at flats in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

The 34-year-old later died in police custody following emergency treatment.

An investigation into his death has been launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

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Adrian Thompson, 34, died after being Tasered by police while breaking into a block of flats in Staffordshire

Mr McDonald's family have been too grief-stricken to speak of his death.

The IPCC said today: 'The 34-year-old man was arrested and taken to a police van.

'The man then became unresponsive and an ambulance was called. He was pronounced dead at the scene at around 2.30 am.

'A post mortem was carried out and HM Coroner has been informed.'

Commissioner Kathryn Stone OBE added: 'I would like to express my sincere condolences to the man’s family at this difficult time.

'We are at a very early stage of our independent investigation into the actions police took at the scene.

'We will be examining closely police involvement in this incident and the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.'

Last month Matthew Williams, 34, died after being shot with a stun gun following a horrific attack on Cerys Yemm at a hostel for the homeless.

Miss Yemm was allegedly murdered by Williams who ‘ate her face while high on cocaine’ in Caerphilly, South Wales. Police discharged the Taser after finding the 22-year-old unconscious with severe facial injuries.

Solicitor Sophie Khan, from the Police Action Centre, has now called on Theresa May to consider a temporary ban on Tasers. She said stun guns are a ‘real threat to life and their use must now be curbed’.

Yesterday officers remained on guard outside the flat, which neighbours say is occupied by a ‘hard-working’ couple in their twenties and their baby boy.

Death: A man has died after being shot with a Taser stun gun by police at a home in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Investigation: The incident came after the man apparently tried to burgle a house

Police: Officers at the scene in the aftermath of the fatal Taser shooting in the early hours

Block: The attempted burglary and subsequent death happened at these flats in Newcastle-under-Lyme

On guard: A police officer at the scene with a Taser holstered on his jacket

Neighbour Mark Finney, 50, said: ‘I was asleep and at around 1.30am, I woke up and heard shouting and tremendous banging. It sounded like someone was in distress.’

A 22-year-old local resident, who did not want to be named, said he heard the Taser victim shout ‘help me’ after the stun gun was fired at around 1.45am. He added: ‘There were seven or eight police and I saw them dragging this bloke out.

‘He was still alive then but he looked like he was drunk or something. They were carrying him with their arms under his shoulders. They bunged him in the back of the van.’ Staffordshire Police, which deploys Tasers more than any other force in the country, has now been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which will investigate the death.

Probe: The Independent Police Complaints Commission will be investigating the man's death

Quiet: The incident took place in the suburb of Chesterton just outside Newcastle-under-Lyme

An IPCC report revealed in July that Staffordshire officers had used Tasers as ‘a deterrent’ 619 times in the past nine years.

Between 2012 and 2013, the force fired stun guns a total of 71 times – more than three times more than similar-sized forces such as Leicestershire and West Mercia Police.

The weapons have been linked to at least ten deaths in England and Wales over the past decade.

Staffordshire’s police and crime commissioner Matthew Ellis said it was ‘immensely sad’ that a man had lost his life, but added that it would be inappropriate to comment further during an ongoing IPCC investigation.

Witness: Mark Finney said he heard screams but could not tell what was going on in the flat