THE nurse on duty when a woman died in custody had no concerns about her physical health hours before her death, an inquest was told.

But Paula Wilson told the jury at York’s Guildhall she had gone into the cell blindly as she had not been given any information about the woman.

Miss Wilson was being questioned about the death of Toni Speck in custody at Fulford Road Police Station on June 2, 2011.

Ms Speck, who had bipolar affective disorder, died after suffering a cardiac arrest at around 6pm, having been detained under the Mental Health Act in Bootham, York, that afternoon.

Miss Wilson was asked to visit Ms Speck’s cell around 4.05pm by custody sergeant Paul Armstrong, but no formal request was made for a medical check.

She said: “There was no reason given. I assumed they wanted me there as a female officer.”

Miss Wilson was not told anything about Ms Speck, but on arrival assumed her role was to help get her back into the safety suit she had been clothed in.

“I went into that cell blindly,” she said.

“I had been given no information. I couldn’t make any assessment like that.

“Without any background, it’s impossible to assume things about the patient.”

Miss WilsonShe said Ms Speck was wet and wrote in a report at the time that this was likely due to sweating.

She said: “I remember seeing her pupils were dilated at that time.”

But she concluded: “I had no concern re her physical health at that time.”

The jury also heard evidence from North Yorkshire Police doctor Abdalin Sheik Mohomed, who was called from Harrogate to attend Ms Speck.

Dr Sheik went to Ms Speck’s cell with Sgt Armstrong at 5.15pm, where he examined her through the hatch for between five and 10 minutes. He said reports of Ms Speck’s previous violence stopped him going into her cell, despite seeing her sitting with her head down.

“I was not able to go into the cell to do that observation,” he said.

Dr Sheik had been told by the mental health team in York that afternoon that they intended to section Ms Speck.

York’s senior acting coroner Jonathan Leach put it to Dr Sheik that he felt Ms Speck did not need a physical exam as he wanted to get her to a psychiatric hospital as soon as possible - which Dr Sheik confirmed to be true.

Mr Leach said: “Is that a fair summary?” Dr Sheik replied: “Yes”.

Dr Sheik was in the medical room, preparing paperwork to section Ms Speck when he was told she had stopped breathing.

“I ran with the oxygen mask to the cell,” he said. “Toni was lying on the floor.”

Dr Sheik and nurse Wilson helped administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to Ms Speck, who was taken to York Hospital by ambulance and pronounced dead at 6.48pm.

Mr Leach will begin his summary of the evidence tomorrow.