Kirkcaldy father Sheku Bayoh had taken a “zombie drug” before he died, it has been confirmed.
A new death certificate has recorded the presence of ecstasy and a former legal high known as flakka in his blood stream when he was restrained by up to nine police officers.
Flakka is described as the zombie drug in the USA and Australia because of the effect it has on users.
The cause of the 31-year-old’s death had previously been recorded as unascertained pending investigation but the updated description has backed up claims he had been under the influence of drugs when he died in police custody in May 2015.
The certificate, signed by Mr Bayoh’s sister Kadi Johnson, states under cause of death: “Sudden death in a man intoxicated by methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstacy) and alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone whilst being restrained.”
The news has been described as a significant development by the lawyer representing the police officers involved in the incident in Hayfield Road, Kirkcaldy.
But Bayoh family solicitor Aamer Anwar said there was nothing significant about the toxicology report as police are trained to deal with vulnerable individuals.
Mr Anwar said: “The Lord Advocate’s team continues to carry out an extremely complex investigation into the death of a young man whilst being restrained by up to nine police officers.
“There are many other matters which are hugely significant but speculation and cherry picking by those who should know better is deeply unhelpful and inappropriate.
“Sheku’s family stated from the very beginning that his behaviour was out of character but police officers are trained to deal with vulnerable individuals and any force used must always be legitimate and proportionate.”
Police lawyer, Professor Peter Watson, said: “It is very unfortunate for both Sheku Bayoh and for the officers who had to deal with him that they were facing the circumstances that someone had taken a drug which is both mind altering and affects the consciousness, placing himself and other people at risk.”
Mr Bayoh, a father of two young boys, was restrained after police were called amid allegations of a man brandishing a knife in the street.
He was not armed when he was detained but a knife was later found nearby.
A probe by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) concluded in August and a report was passed to the Crown, which is continuing to consider it.
