Five Sussex Police officers are under investigation following the death of a man in custody.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has served five Sussex Police officers with gross misconduct notices as part of the investigation into events prior to the death of Duncan Tomlin in Haywards Heath in July.

Mr Tomlin, 32, of Burgess Hill, was restrained by police in Ryecroft in Haywards Heath on July 26, fell unconscious in the police van and later died in hospital

The IPCC has today announced that it is investigating potential gross misconduct matters and five officers, a police sergeant and four police constables, have been served with notices advising their conduct is subject to investigation. The officers will be interviewed in due course.

A spokesman for the IPCC said: “IPCC investigators are examining the actions of officers, including the restraint used on Mr Tomlin in the street and in the rear of the police van, and the medical treatment provided by them. We are also examining the referral of the incident to the IPCC and whether there was a significant delay in the police contacting Mr Tomlin’s family.”

Sussex Police said they were unable to comment on the investigation. They have so far been unable to confirm to The Argus whether the five officers are still on active duty.

After officers put Mr Tomlin into a police van he became unresponsive. Mr Tomlin was removed from the van on South Road in Haywards Heath just after midnight on July 27. He was not breathing, CPR was performed, and he was subsequently transferred by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he died three days later.

IPCC investigators have obtained statements from significant witnesses, obtained and viewed CCTV footage of the incident, and reviewed initial statements from officers involved which were made on the night of the incident.