An attempt by the mother of Robin Goodenough – who died of heart failure after police used force to extricate him from a car in Alma Place, East Oxford, in 2003 – has lost her legal fight to overturn a verdict by the Independent Police Complaints Commission that the officers involved should not face disciplinary action.

At the High Court, Glenys Goodenough, of Barton, argued that the IPCC had breached the Human Rights Act by not properly investigating her son’s death.

Her barrister, Patrick Roche, said the IPCC had taken too much account of the fact that all the officers involved were acquitted when tried at Crown Court.

But Mr Justice Mitting dismissed the case, saying the IPCC’s decision could not be overturned and was not unlawful.

Mr Goodenough, right, was driving, although he was disqualified and not insured.

He had also inhaled butane gas.