THE inquest into the death of Habib Ullah has been abandoned midway through - after it emerged a solicitor had advised police officers to alter their statements the day after the incident.

Evidence given by witnesses during the eight-day proceedings has prompted the Independent Police Complaints Commission to reopen an investigation.

The proceedings in Iver were halted yesterday afternoon. The investigation will now conclude before the inquest can be heard with a new jury.

Mr Ullah, 39, died on July 3, 2008 after being restrained by officers in High Wycombe who were trying to force a package of drugs out of his mouth. The father-of-three suffered a cardiac arrest.

Coroner Richard Hulett explained to jurors: “One officer after the other told you that statements they originally made had been in various ways been altered.... That way of producing statements it was agreed was most unusual.”

See Friday's Bucks Free Press for the full story.

On Friday the paramedic who found Mr Ullah in cardiac arrest appeared as a witness (see link below). There are also links below to all previous stories on the inquest.