An inquiry has been initiated into the passing of a bodybuilder who engaged in a brief altercation with law enforcement. Craig Clegg, aged 49, was apprehended by officers from Merseyside Police after they were summoned due to concerns about his well-being. Details presented during a preliminary review last May revealed that Mr. Clegg was in a highly distressed state, going door-to-door, before the authorities intervened following nine distress calls from local residents.
The incident took place at his residence in Lydiate, Sefton, around 10:45 pm on September 16, 2024. Senior coroner of Sefton St Helens and Knowsley at the time, Julie Goulding, described how the police arrived and, after a brief confrontation, detained Mr. Clegg. According to a Home Office post-mortem report from the previous year, Ms. Goulding mentioned that there was a brief struggle captured on the officers’ body cameras. Tragically, Mr. Clegg passed away later that night.
During a hearing at Bootle Town Hall today, the inquest into the death was formally initiated. Discussions are ongoing regarding the scheduling of a full inquest, with current coroner Elizabeth Wheeler adjourning the case to a yet undetermined date.
Following an assessment, it was determined that there was no evidence of excessive force such as kneeling on Mr. Clegg or using a headlock during the police intervention, with their restraint methods not deemed a significant factor in his demise. Ms. Goulding cited the post-mortem report as she made these observations.
She further stated, “The evidence indicates that the police officers collaborated to administer CPR until medical responders arrived.” Mr. Clegg was then transported from the scene in Lydiate to Aintree University Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
A report on the death concluded that Mr. Clegg’s passing was due to complications arising from cocaine toxicity. Ms. Wheeler classified the death as unnatural, necessitating the holding of an inquest.
Following Mr. Clegg’s demise, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation, given his interaction with officers shortly before his death. The IOPC confirmed in January of the previous year that their probe into Merseyside Police’s involvement had concluded, with no specific findings or recommendations highlighted in the investigator’s report, as mentioned by Ms. Goulding during the preliminary review.
When approached for comment on the investigation outcome early last year, the IOPC declined, indicating that findings would be disclosed post the conclusion of the inquest into Mr. Clegg’s passing.
In a statement, Mr. Clegg’s family expressed their desire for a thorough investigation, hoping that all relevant parties, including Merseyside Police and the North West Ambulance Service, would cooperate fully to assess the response to the medical emergency he encountered on the day of his demise.
Notably, Clegg had previously achieved success in the over-45s North West bodybuilding contest and regularly participated in amateur bodybuilding competitions.