A jury inquest has been arranged to investigate the death of a woman who collapsed in police cells.

Kerry Thornton's husband believes his wife should never have been taken into custody and should have been taken to hospital.

Martin Thornton said this may not have saved her life but would have given her the dignity she deserved.

He said she had never been in trouble with police and was ill at the time of her death.

A jury inquest is unusual and is normally arranged when there are controversial issues surrounding a death.

Mrs Thornton's inquest is scheduled for September 20 and 21, and will be held at Brighton Magistrates Court.

As The Argus reported earlier this year, Mrs Thornton, 45, was arrested on April 27 after smashing windows at Caf Porcupine in Sydney Street, Brighton, which she ran.

An ambulance crew refused to take her to hospital, claiming she was too violent and police arrested her under the Mental Health Act.

She was taken to Hollingbury custody centre, Brighton, where she collapsed. Mrs Thornton was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, in a critical condition.

Her family later took doctors' advice and agreed her life support should be switched off.

A post-mortem showed she died from liver failure and a head injury.

Mr Thornton, 44, said his wife hurt herself in a fall at their home above the caf before her arrest but it was unclear whether the head injury occurred then or when she collapsed in the cell.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating whether police acted properly.