THE family of a mentally ill church caretaker who died after collapsing in police custody yesterday welcomed the decision to charge a sergeant and two civilian staff with manslaughter.

Paranoid schizophrenia sufferer Thomas Orchard died more than two years ago after being arrested in Exeter on suspicion of a public order offence.

He was allegedly the victim of “unreasonable force” and when he was found unresponsive in his cell at a police station in the city, he was taken to hospital where he died a week later from head injuries.

Sergeant Jan Kingshott and custody detention officers Simon Tansley and Michael Marsden are accused of Mr Orchard’s manslaughter, as well as misconduct in public office.

In a statement released by campaign group Inquest, Mr Orchard’s family said: “Public trust in the police force and the justice system demands a robust prosecution.

“Our thoughts today are also with the families of others who have died in police custody and who feel that there should have also been prosecutions in their cases.”