'Former Reds player' dies in custody

A TEENAGER believed to have been a former Forest academy player has died in police custody.

An investigation into the death of Reece Staples at Nottingham's Oxclose Lane police station has been launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The 19-year-old, thought to be footballer Reece Staples, a regular at under-18 level who featured for the reserves, was taken to a police cell after officers were called to reports of a man causing damage to a vehicle in the Basford area just before 1.15am yesterday.

He was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

During a check at about 5am, officers reported finding him unwell in his cell and they called an ambulance.

It is understood the East Midlands Ambulance service attended, but the he was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

A postmortem examination took place yesterday at Leicester Royal Infirmary – conducted by a Home Office pathologist.

An investigator from the IPCC attended the examination, which did not identify any evidence of injuries that may have contributed to his death.

The cause of death is not yet known, and IPCC investigators are now waiting for toxicology results.

The Notts Police Professional Standards Department referred the case to the IPCC yesterday morning and investigators were deployed "immediately".

IPCC Commissioner Amerdeep Somal said: "The investigation will look at all the circumstances in the lead-up to this man's death in the early hours of this morning.

"This will include how police dealt with information they received relating to the deceased's health and wellbeing".

Reece Staples was a quick left-midfielder who was attached to Notts County as a youngster but came up through the ranks at the Forest Academy.

He was released by the club in October and joined Carlton, before being released by them at around Christmas.

The talented teenager was a former pupil at Trinity School in Aspley.

Head teacher Michael McKeever said: "He was a very nice lad. Reece was a good boy.

"He was one of our football stars. He was a top lad who you could talk to in the corridor – one of those people you would be pleased to teach. It is quite shocking."

Gerry McMahon, head of the lower school at Trinity, also knew Reece well.

He said: "I'm absolutely devastated.

"I never saw [Reece] without a smile on his face. Nothing got him down."

A woman at a house in Hyson Green, believed to be a relative, told the Post yesterday: "I'm too shocked to talk."