Seni's Law

In 2010, Olaseni ‘Seni’ Lewis, a much-loved 23-year-old IT graduate died as a result of prolonged restraint by Metropolitan Police officers at Bethlem Royal Hospital.

Seni’s family waited seven years for an inquest. The jury unanimously condemned the actions of police and healthcare staff who watched on as Seni was restrained by 11 police officers. The inquest found the force used was excessive, disproportionate and contributed to Seni’s death.

Ever since his death, Seni’s family have campaigned to ensure that no-one else dies in such horrific circumstances. INQUEST has worked with Seni’s family since his death, alongside Steve Reed MP, solicitor Raju Bhatt and a coalition of NGOs including Agenda, Article 39, Mind, Rethink and YoungMinds to inform and campaign for the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act – otherwise know as Seni’s Law.

The law requires mental healthcare providers to develop and publish policies on the use of restraint, keep records of the use of force and to train staff in de-escalation techniques to help reduce its occurrence.

The bill received Royal Assent in November 2018; however, enactment of the law is an ongoing process. The long-awaited guidance was published in December 2021 and Aji Lewis continues to push for its implementation as the number of Black mental health patients being restrained by police in mental health units has risen significantly since 2022.

In February 2024 Aji Lewis, Seni’s mother said: “

The enactment of Seni’s law and the subsequent guidance was a positive step forward. Yet this data shows the change we need is not taking place. We must see urgent action to address continued racial disparities in restraint of patients, and to end the use of dangerous restraint of mental health patients.

Click below to read the act and guidance.