The Independent Police Complaints Commission is managing an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service into contact between officers and staff from the MPS and a man, around the time the man fell to his death from a block of flats in Croydon.

At about 4pm on 3 January, an MPS officer recognised Mr Smith at Croydon Magistrates Court, as wanted for a criminal offence. He approached Mr Smith who assaulted the officer (not seriously) and made off on foot. The officer followed Mr Smith, but lost him. At about 4.50pm officers attended a block of flats in Gillett Road, Thornton Heath. A Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) saw Mr Smith in the block of flats, but then lost sight of him.

He was found a short time later lying on the ground outside the flats, having fallen from the ninth floor. Officers went to his aid and performed CPR, and a doctor from a nearby clinic also attended and assisted in giving first aid. London Ambulance Service attended, and took Mr Smith to Mayday Hospital where, at 5.42pm, he was pronounced dead.

The man was formally identified as Clinton Smith, 25 years old, of Thornton Heath.

The MPS informed the IPCC of the incident as a matter of course. IPCC investigators were deployed to the scene and conducted an assessment.

The IPCC Commissioner responsible said: "IPCC investigators have made a detailed assessment of the scene and on the basis of initial evidence presented to me, I have decided to manage an investigation by the MPS into the contact between Mr Smith and MPS officers, around the time of his death.

"This investigation will look at whether there was any police involvement in Mr Smith's death."

A post-mortem was conducted yesterday [4 January] at Croydon Mortuary and showed the cause of death as multiple fractures and internal injuries in keeping with a fall from height. Further -*test*-('") results are awaited.

HM Coroner is due to opened an inquest on 9 January at Croydon Coroners Court.