Figures reveal another three people have died following contact with police in Cumbria last year.

Charity Inquest said such incidents are often caused by "systemic failures" to safeguard those experiencing a mental health crisis, with the Government seemingly "willing to accept" these deaths.

Figures from the Independent Office for Police Conduct show Cumbria Constabulary recorded three deaths during or following police contact in 2020-21 – up from none the year before.

Of the deaths last year, two were from apparent suicides immediately following release from custody, and one other death followed contact with the police and was subject to an independent investigation.

They were among 29 deaths following contact with Cumbria Constabulary between 2004-05 – the first year such figures exist – and 2020-21.

Detective Chief Inspector Craig Smith, head of Cumbria Constabulary’s Professional Standards Department, said: “We work closely with other agencies to support people through the criminal justice system, identify risks and put measures in place to reduce any risks as far as possible.

“Cumbria Constabulary follows guidelines and protocols for people who are brought into custody and our staff are highly-trained to deal with them. The safeguarding of any detainee is a priority.

“Every death touches and has an impact on those people surrounding the deceased and deaths following police contact are rightly subject to the necessary and appropriate scrutiny. Where relevant and appropriate cases are referred in to the IOPC for external independent scrutiny."

Across England and Wales, there were 191 deaths following police contact last year, which was down from 206 in 2019-20.

The figures come just a few months after police officer Benjamin Monk was convicted of the manslaughter of former footballer Dalian Atkinson.Inquest say he was the first police officer to be found guilty of murder or manslaughter following a death in police contact or custody in England and Wales in 35 years.

Craig said: “This scrutiny is evidence of the high levels of public transparency rightly applied to policing in England and Wales.

“This must also be set against the context that Cumbria Constabulary has hundreds of thousands of contacts with the public each year and more than 10,200 people attended custody in the last year.

“Following any death following contact, we work closely with partners, including the coroner, to identify if anything can be learned.”

Last year saw global protests spring up in response to the death of American George Floyd in US police custody, but Inquest said the latest figures show that nothing has changed in England and Wales.