A man found in a police cell with a serious brain injury has spoken his first word after nine weeks in hospital.

Garry Reynolds was injured some time after midnight on March 2.

His family is renewing an appeal for people who saw him being arrested early that morning in West Street, Brighton, to come forward.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the cause of his injuries.

His brother Graeme, 38, said: "There was a big crowd when Garry got arrested. There are definitely witnesses out there.

We need them to come forward.

"Some of them might have filmed it on their mobile phones."

He made a direct appeal to anyone with information after releasing the first photograph of Mr Reynolds in hospital.

Graeme said: "You can see how sick this man is. Please come forward and tell the IPCC what has gone on."

Mr Reynolds, 39, a decorator from Southwick, had spent the evening of March 1 at The Rock pub, Rock Street, Kemp Town, Brighton. He left at about midnight and was seen heading towards Chesham Road.

The next reported sighting was nearly two hours later when he got into a taxi in Eastern Road at 1.50am.

The taxi driver took him to West Street at about 2.35am and asked police for help.

Mr Reynolds was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer. The IPCC is investigating evidence from witnesses who said they heard a "thud" during the arrest.

Mr Reynolds was taken to a police cell at Hollingbury. At 11am on March 2 officers called an ambulance after finding him unconscious.

He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and then transferred to Hurstwood Park Neurological Centre in Haywards Heath.

Earlier this month, he was moved to the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.

Mr Reynolds has opened his eyes and been able to give his brother a "thumbs-up" sign.

His greatest advance has been to say "OK" to a nurse who asked how he was on Friday but he has not spoken since then.

He is still unable to move on his left side and doctors fear he will be permanently paralysed.

A judicial review was held in London on Friday after Graeme sought to remove Sussex Police from the investigation into the hours before his brother's arrest.

The judge's final ruling is expected this week but he told the hearing the IPCC was wrong to consider it had no power to investigate what happened before the arrest.

Graeme told The Argus: "This decision should have been made at the start of the investigation. We asked Sussex Police and the IPCC and nobody would do the right thing.

"I'm pleased with the decision but I'm not happy because this should have happened eight or nine weeks ago."

Until the judge's final decision, the investigation into Mr Reynolds's movements between leaving the pub and getting into the taxi is still in the hands of Sussex Police.

Detective Chief Inspector Trevor Bowles said: "We have done a lot of work trying to establish his movements during that critical and relevant time.

"We continue to do work to establish the truth in relation to what happened."

Anyone who saw Mr Reynolds in the taxi or being arrested is asked to call the IPCC on 0800 0969071.