The officers who left an ill man lying outside a Victorian police station hours before his death have been disciplined, but his widow will never forgive them.
One officer resigned, one was sacked and three others were penalised following the death of Ling Gong Tang, 53, who had complained of abdominal pain while in a Dandenong police station cell in 2010.
Mr Tang's widow, Jenny Tang, said her husband was treated like a dog before he died, and his experience was the worst thing a family could go through.
"The coroner found that more competent, diligent and compassionate police officers would have preserved my husband's welfare and dignity," Ms Tang said on Tuesday.
"My daughter and I miss him terribly, and I shall never forgive those police officers for the way my husband was treated."
Mr Tang was arrested for public drunkenness on May 12, 2010, but he received no medical care despite asking to go to hospital.
He suffered from a chronic liver disease and died from a gastrointestinal haemorrhage in hospital the morning after his release.
CCTV footage shows him struggling to stand and walk, and a witness told a coronial inquest he was bleeding and said he felt he was going to die.
Deputy state coroner Iain West said Mr Tang had been "pushed out into the cold night" when he should have received medical attention.
Mr Tang had been so drunk he had soiled himself, and Mr West said there was evidence his presentation was "a bit of a joke" for some of the officers at Dandenong police station.
Because of his unhygienic state, police conducted an interview of Mr Tang through a flap in the cell door.
Yu Shu Lipski, who acted as an interpreter during the cell door interview, told the inquest into Mr Tang's death she could see blood in the cell and Mr Tang was clearly distressed, and said he was going to die.
"I saw him crawl on his hands and knees like a dog," Ms Lipski told the inquest.
Mr West said Mr Tang had not been adequately monitored while in the cell.
"He is eventually pushed out into the cold night, in bare feet and in a shocking state, with blood escaping from his mouth," Mr West said.
Victoria Police said officers had a duty of care to Mr Tang and were found wanting.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Jack Blayney said Victoria Police had introduced 24-hour custodial health support and tightened their supervision and care instructions since the incident.
Following investigations, one officer resigned, two were found guilty of disgraceful conduct - one of whom was sacked - and two were found guilty of improper conduct.
Mr Blayney said criminal charges were considered but Victoria Police's advice was that they did not apply in this instance.
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