A MAN with learning difficulties died suddenly while being restrained during a violent episode, an inquest heard.

Richard Pearce, known as Dickie, was a resident of Selbrook Villa, Washpool near Shaw a home for people with learning disabilities run by Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust.

A post-mortem showed the cause of death to be 'sudden death in restraint' but there was no evidence of excessive force.

Dickie, the youngest of 10 children, was born with a cleft lip, which made it difficult for him to communicate and had an IQ of 30, which meant he could not read or write.

The 51-year-old had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act with the approval of his family. He also had a psychotic illness.

On the morning of his death, Dickie ate his breakfast but became agitated when he was told by the nurse in charge, Peter Prosser, to get ready to attend his day care centre.

Mr Prosser, 64, of Marlborough, said: "He looked very sullen, mumbled and kicked out. I felt at the time he was agitated enough to give him extra medicine."

Dickie was initially unwilling to take the anti-psychotic drug, which was sometimes administered if he became aggressive. He later allowed the tablets to be put in his mouth but continued to be hostile.

Mr Prosser and two other staff members manoeuvred Dickie into his bedroom and restrained him on his back on his bed while he struggled.

Then he stopped breathing. He said: "One of the tablets came out of his mouth. His eyes started rolling and he started going blue."

Staff and paramedics tried to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at Princess Margaret Hospital at 10.30am on July 8 last year.

Dr Charmain Bartlett, the consultant psychiatrist in charge of Dickie's treatment, said: "Dickie's episodes could be unpredictable and sometimes he could be difficult to manage. The majority of the time he was a very pleasant gentleman."

She said restraining techniques were a last resort.

Dr Robert Venhegan, who carried out the post-mortem, said he had seen two cases of sudden death in restraint over 22 years and said the mechanics of how death is caused is not known.

Dickie's brother John, 68, of Newbury, said Dickie had an excellent relationship with the staff at Selbrook and had been very happy there.

Mr Pearce said: "He was very happy with Selbrook. The staff loved him and he loved them.

"We got no complaints with the home itself. We just want to know what happened."

The jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure.