News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Serious Injury Suffered by Man While in London Police Cell
Case Number: 25-OCI-242
The Deputy Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Stacey O’Brien, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury suffered by a 30-year-old man last month in London while in a police cell.
The man was arrested on the night of June 14, 2025, following receipt of information that he was in breach of his undertaking. He was transported to the London Police Service detachment and lodged in a cell. While in the cell, the man struck himself in the face multiple times with his fist and repeatedly hit his head against the cell door. Due to the escalating nature of his actions, staff intervened. The man was handcuffed with his hands behind his back, and a protective helmet was placed on his head. The man was able to remove the helmet. Given the continued risk to his immediate safety, the man was removed from the cell and transported to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fracture to the right orbital bone.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of video footage that captured the incident, Deputy Director O’Brien was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued. The evidence established that there was no connection between police interaction and the man’s injury. It was apparent that no officer was responsible for the injury. Accordingly, there being nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer was concerned, the file has been closed.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES