THE police watchdog has launched an investigation into the death of a black man in custody hours after he was arrested. 

Simeon Francis, 35, died in a cell at Torquay police station on May 20, having been arrested in Exeter just before 1am, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said. 

An ambulance was called after he was found “unresponsive in his cell,” but Mr Francis was pronounced dead at about 6pm.