POLICE officers and paramedics told an inquest how the health of a man who attacked and killed a woman at a Gwent hotel deteriorated rapidly after he was Tasered and restrained.

Matthew Williams was confronted by police in his room at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed in the early hours of Thursday, November 6, 2014 after he had killed 22-year-old Cerys Yemm, from Oakdale.

After he was Tasered, handcuffed and “fast-strapped” - his feet and knees were bound - the inquest into Williams and Miss Yemm’s deaths has been told he had to be Tasered a further three times as his aggression continued.

PC Shaun Jenkins, who had put up police tape on the landing outside the room, took over in helping restrain Williams from another officer.

He described seeing Williams breathing after he quietened.

PC Jenkins had been wearing a body camera as a trial, but told Nicholas Bowen QC, representing the Williams family, that he had only had it for three days and had forgotten to switch it on.

Mr Bowen called that omission “a matter of considerable regret.”

“You know you are going to engage a potentially violent man. Did it not cross your mind that it would be sensible to switch it on?” he said.

PC Jenkins replied: “I forgot I was wearing it.”

Sergeant Andrew Rees was called to the room to supervise after Williams had been Tasered and restrained.

He described how he had been concerned that Williams was lying on his front and handcuffed in front, so his breathing might be restricted.

He said Williams had been moved and he had started to unlock the handcuffs with a view to securing Williams’ hands behind his back, but another officer had asked him to “leave it.”

He described Williams’ breathing as “not particularly laboured” and though he had heard what he described as a “snore” he had not been concerned.

He heard another “snore” when Williams was placed in an ambulance chair to take him out, but Sergeant Rees said he then seemed to stabilise.

Ambulance clinical team leader and paramedic Paul Wyatt told the inquest at Gwent Coroner’s Court, he had checked Williams’ breathing and pulse shortly after being called into the room by police, and these had been normal.

But within a couple of minutes these began to slow, and Mr Wyatt decided he needed to be moved to the ambulance.

Ambulance technician Barry Davies described helping carry Williams downstairs in the chair, and paramedic colleague Shaun Evans said in a statement that when they reached the foot of the stairs Williams had stopped breathing.

Attempts were made to revive him in the ambulance, to no avail.

Proceeding.