A 24-YEAR-OLD Black man died following time spent in police custody, on January 9.

Mohamud Mohammed Hassan, was arrested and taken to Cardiff Bay police station.

He was released without charge and left custody.

His family claim he was violently beaten by Cardiff police, and that they have images which show his injuries.

They say that the young man decided to sleep because he was so unwell following his time spent in police custody.

However, he never woke up.

Hilary Brown, CEO of Virgo Consultancy which is representing the family said: “We are seeking answers to many questions that the family have.

“The most pressing questions are: Did South Wales police cause the injuries that were present on his body, and have any of those injuries led to or contributed to his death?”

There are also concerns about how Mohamud was treated following his death.

Lee Jasper, vice-chair of Black and minority ethnic lawyers 4 Justice said: “Clearly Mohamud was perfectly fine before his arrest. The critical question the family want answering is what happened to him during his arrest,  in transit to and inside Cardiff Police station.

“He was very severely injured on his release, so was he offered medical assistance in the police station? His death marks a grim and tragically familiar start for 2021. Black Lives will continue to matter.”

A spokesperson from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said: “We are assessing the referral to determine whether the IOPC needs to be involved in an investigation.”

The family are expected to launch a justice campaign, and a post-mortem is expected tomorrow.

Since 1969, no police officer has been prosecuted in relation to a death in police custody.

Inquest has pointed out that while police can spend large amounts on legal support for inquests, families must take part in a long, protracted process to apply for legal aid.

You can donate to the family fundraiser for Mohamud’s legal battle here.

Wales police, who are investigating the case said the following: “Early findings by the force indicate no misconduct issues and no excessive force.

“We are aware of the extensive reporting on social media but due to the on-going investigation and referral to the IOPC we are unable to comment any further at this stage.”