Prosecutions for murder or manslaughter after deaths following police contact

There person been 12 cases wherever a constabulary serviceman has been charged with execution oregon manslaughter pursuing a decease successful custody oregon pursuing constabulary interaction since 1990, according to the foundation Inquest.

During that time, determination person been 1,905 specified deaths successful England and Wales, including 83 fatal constabulary shootings.

In the 10 years to 2023/24, a constabulary watchdog has carried retired 26 investigations into the deaths of 28 radical who were changeable by police, with transgression inquiries launched successful 4 cases. Of these, 2 – Jermaine Baker and Chris Kaba – resulted successful the serviceman being charged with a transgression offence.

Before 1990, erstwhile Inquest began keeping records, the astir caller condemnation of this benignant was successful 1986, erstwhile Merseyside constabulary sergeant Alwyn Sawyer was recovered blameworthy of manslaughter aft kicking and punching retired autobus operator Henry Foley, 67, arsenic helium laic handcuffed successful a constabulary cell.

Of the 12 prosecutions since 1990, lone 1 has resulted successful a condemnation – West Mercia Police Constable Benjamin Monk, who was jailed successful 2021 for the manslaughter of erstwhile footballer Dalian Atkinson.

Mr Atkinson was tasered to the crushed and kicked successful the caput successful 2016.

– Chris Kaba: Martyn Blake, 40, was charged with execution aft helium changeable Mr Kaba arsenic the 24-year-old drove forwards and backwards trying to unit his mode betwixt a marked constabulary car and a Tesla parked adjacent successful Streatham, south-east London, successful September 2022.

The Metropolitan Police marksman, who was cleared of execution by a assemblage astatine the Old Bailey, said helium opened occurrence due to the fact that helium believed his colleagues were astir to die.

– Dalian Atkinson: Benjamin Monk was sentenced to 8 years for manslaughter aft helium kicked Mr Atkinson, 48, successful the head, leaving 2 bootlace imprints, pursuing an “excessive” 33-second Taser deployment successful August 2016.

– Thomas Orchard: The 32-year-old died successful infirmary a week aft helium was arrested and taken to Heavitree Road constabulary presumption successful Exeter, Devon, successful October 2012.

While successful custody the religion caretaker, who had intelligence wellness issues, was restrained and an exigency effect loop (ERB) was placed crossed his look for 5 minutes and 2 seconds to forestall spitting oregon biting.

A custody sergeant and 2 detention officers were charged with manslaughter but recovered not blameworthy pursuing a proceedings astatine Bristol Crown Court successful 2017. Devon and Cornwall Police unit was aboriginal fined for wellness and information breaches.

– Ian Tomlinson: In April 2009, Ian Tomlinson died aft helium was deed with a baton and shoved to the crushed by constabulary serviceman Simon Harwood connected the fringes of G20 protests successful the City of London.

An archetypal study recovered that helium had died from a bosom attack, but this was brought into question erstwhile an American tourer sent footage of him being deed and shoved from behind, causing a dense fall.

An inquest successful 2011 recovered Mr Tomlinson was unlawfully killed by Pc Harwood and that helium had utilized “excessive and unreasonable” force. But erstwhile the serviceman faced proceedings astatine Southwark Crown Court successful 2012 helium was cleared of manslaughter aft a assemblage accepted his relationship that helium believed helium was utilizing tenable force.

– Azelle Rodney: Met Police marksman Anthony Long opened occurrence connected suspected equipped robber Mr Rodney, 27, little than a 2nd aft pulling up alongside the car successful which helium was travelling.

He fired disconnected 8 shots successful 2.1 seconds, six of which fatally injured Mr Rodney who was the backmost spot rider of a Volkswagen Golf which was boxed successful during a “hard stop” by equipped constabulary successful Hale Lane, Mill Hill, northbound London successful April 2005.

In 2013, a judge-led nationalist enquiry into Mr Rodney’s decease recovered that helium was changeable with “no lawful justification” – but 2 years later, aft an Old Bailey trial, Mr Long was cleared of murder.

– Robin Goodenough: Three officers were accused of manslaughter implicit the decease of Mr Goodenough, 26, a disqualified operator who died successful September 2003 aft being stopped by police.

In November 2005, 1 serviceman was cleared and a assemblage failed to scope a verdict connected the different two. Pcs Robin Shane and John Shatford were past tried alternatively for battle occasioning existent bodily harm, but were cleared by jurors astatine the Old Bailey successful July 2006.

– Michelle Wood: Three constabulary officers were cleared of manslaughter implicit the decease of heroin addict Ms Wood, 25, who was recovered dormant from hypothermia connected onshore adjacent New Waltham, northbound eastbound Lincolnshire, successful February 2003.

One period earlier she had been arrested connected suspicion of attempted burglary successful Louth, Lincolnshire, aft going to the municipality connected a “shoplifting expedition”. Custody Sergeant Andrew Hickinbottom ordered Police Constables Andrew Wood and Ian Clark to driblet her disconnected astatine a constituent connected the A16 astir 5 miles from her home.

She had bedewed clothes, nary money, and nary mobile phone, though the determination was adjacent a petrol presumption and a wage phone. In April 2005, justice Mrs Justice Dobbs directed a assemblage astatine Hull Crown Court that determination was nary lawsuit to reply due to the fact that determination was nary grounds that the officers had breached their work of care.

– James Ashley: Mr Ashley, 39, was changeable dormant portion naked, unarmed and successful furniture with his woman during a raid connected his level successful St Leonards, Hastings, successful January 1998.

Sussex constabulary constable Chris Sherwood was charged with execution and manslaughter, but successful May 2001 the lawsuit collapsed aft a justice recovered the prosecution had failed to beryllium helium had not acted successful aforesaid defence. He said helium had mistakenly believed that Mr Ashley was pointing a weapon astatine him.

– Christopher Alder: Mr Alder choked to decease portion handcuffed connected the level of a Hull constabulary presumption successful April 1998 aft being arrested for an alleged breach of the peace. In August 2000, an inquest assemblage recovered the 37-year-old erstwhile paratrooper was unlawfully killed.

Two years later, 5 Humberside Police officers went connected proceedings astatine Teesside Crown Court accused of manslaughter and misconduct successful a nationalist office, but the proceedings collapsed and the justice ordered the assemblage to acquit the defendants connected each charges.

In 2011, Mr Alder’s household were told his assemblage had been discovered successful a infirmary mortuary much than a decennary aft they thought helium had been buried successful Hull’s Northern Cemetery. It aboriginal emerged pensioner Grace Kamara was buried successful Mr Alder’s spot successful 2000, 2 years aft helium died.

– David Ewin: Unarmed car thief Mr Ewin was changeable dormant by constabulary marksman Pc Patrick Hodgson aft helium tried to thrust disconnected portion the serviceman was clinging to the broadside of his car successful Barnes, south-west London successful February 1995.

Mr Hodgson became the archetypal serviceman to look execution charges aft a shooting portion connected duty, and was cleared by an Old Bailey assemblage of execution and manslaughter.

– Richard O’Brien: Market trader Mr O’Brien was arrested for being drunk and disorderly aft a creation astatine a assemblage centre successful Walworth, southbound London successful April 1994. The father-of-seven died aft being held look down during his apprehension and past placed lying connected his beforehand successful a constabulary van.

In 1999, 3 Metropolitan Police officers – Richard Ilett, Gary Lockwood and James Barber – were cleared astatine the Old Bailey of his manslaughter. The proceedings followed a judicial reappraisal launched by Mr O’Brien’s household aft an inquest assemblage returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

– Joy Gardner: Ms Gardner, 40, who was facing deportation, died successful 1993 aft constabulary officers gagged her by wrapping astatine slightest 13ft of portion astir her caput and utilizing respective belts astir her assemblage astatine her level successful Crouch End, northbound London, successful beforehand of her five-year-old son.

She collapsed aft the conflict and died 4 days aboriginal successful hospital. The 3 officers were cleared of manslaughter.