THE KILLING OF CHRISTOPHER ALDER
Based on the BBC documentary "Death on Camera".

Christopher Alder was a 37 year old father of two. Along with his three brothers and his sister Janet, he had been brought up in care. His sister said they had been the only black family at their school. She described how if she was bullied it was Christopher who would confront the situation and stand up for her. He made her feel wanted and that someone cared for her. Christopher had left school at 16 and joined the army serving in the paratroop regiment.

Events on the night of his death started at the Waterfront Club in Hull. An altercation had taken place inside the club and at closing time the argument had continued outside, resulting in a man hitting Christopher with a powerful blow to the jaw. Knocked unconscious, Christopher fell back hitting his head on the floor. By the time an ambulance had arrived Christopher had regained consciousness and was able to walk into the ambulance. The police arrived and questioned onlookers and viewed the club CCTV footage.

Christopher arrived at the hospital at 2.45 am. In the A & E department his behaviour was aggressive, difficult and confused. Not unusual for someone with a head injury. He was seen by a variety of hospital staff who found him hard to deal with. He was spitting blood onto the floor, swearing and flaying his arms about. He calmed down and a doctor examined him finding that he had a tooth missing, another at a slight angle, and a laceration to his upper lip. The doctor tried to persuade Chris to remain in hospital for observation but his behaviour deteriorated and they were unable to handle him so the police were called.

PC Blakey and PC Dawson, the same officers who had attended the disturbance at the Waterfront club arrived and spoke to him as the victim of the earlier fight. In the x-ray department Christopher became abusive again, asked to behave, he refused, and was asked to leave the hospital. In the toilet Chris urinated on the floor, the police officers threatened him with CS gas. He walked calmly from the building but then relapsed again and threatened the officers with violence so they handcuffed him with his hands behind his back.

A van was called, a hospital porter now described him as being calm, he climbed into the van and sat down on his own. It was only a short drive across town to the Queens Garden Police Station, the van was followed by the police car. The police claim that he was entirely on his own in the back of the van and that they had no idea of his injuries.

The police fought for 6 years to stop the CCTV footage of the following events being seen by the public.

Humberside Police Headquarters, April 1st 1998, 03.46 hours. A custody bell rings, we see a man carried in by four police officers in a horizontal prone position, face down. His trousers and boxer shorts are around his knees, resulting in the portion of his body from his knees to the middle of his back being naked. He is placed on the floor with his weight on his chest and stomach gasping for breath, the rasping noise he is making can clearly be heard over the voices of the police officers. His arms are tightly handcuffed behind him and high up on his back.

While they searched their computer database to see if Christopher had a police record they allowed his breathing to become increasingly irregular. PC Blakey is heard to say, "its one 'L' I think but Alder should find it." PC Barr replies, "yeah it is, that is the second go." Sergeant Dunn (the custody officer) asks, "What is this man being arrested for, take him to hospital." PC Dawson, "he has just come from hospital." PC Blakey, "they won't have him at all." PC Dawson, "this is acting now." PC Blakey, "he's right as rain, well not right as rain but he's..." PC Dawson, "he's been abusive to staff.

The staff aren't going to treat him, he's got a simple haematoma to the back..." Sgt Dunn, "he's got what?" PC Dawson, " they've called it a simple haematoma, which is obviously a laceration, he refused to be treated, refused to have his head x-rayed." PC Blakey, "he was urinating all over the hospital floor." PC Dawson, he was the complainant in an assault." Sgt Dunn, "he was what?" PC Dawson. "he was a complainant in an assault." PC Dawson, "did you bring his shoe in from outside." PC Blakey, "I hope so."

PC Dawson, "I don't think we have got an option of taking him back to hospital then, have we? Sgt Dunn, "they won't have him? PC Dawson, "they won't have him." PC Barr, "shame WE can't refuse, isn't it." PC Dawson, "they've given him lots of chances. He came out of the hospital grounds and told us to fuck off, he was going back in as soon as we went." PC Blakey, "he was on his feet, this is just another one of his..." PC Dawson, "this is just an acting thing." PC Blakey, "he kept doing dying swan acts and falling off the trolley."

Sgt Dunn, "so the breach of the peace is that he wouldn't leave the hospital?" PC Dawson, "breach of the peace is that he was going to go back into the hospital as soon as we left." PC Blakey, "he was shown off the premises." PC Dawson, "we asked him to leave, We gave him five minutes of options until the van arrived and he still wouldn't go. He fronted us up and he was fine and he...this is acting now."

03.50 hours. PC Dawson, "do you need a hand?" PC Blakey, "no, I am just trying to get..." Blakey had decided to remove the prisoners handcuffs. They were so tight it took him another 4 minutes before he succeeded in removing them. PC Dawson, "they don't show you this on the joining video, do they?" When the cuffs are eventually released the prisoner's hands stay in the same position high on his back. There is no movement at all. An officer goes up to the custody counter and a voice asks if Christopher has been brought in for a "breach of the peace." the officer laughs. PC Dawson, "he's got a tooth missing as a result of the assault."

Sgt. Dunn, "he wants to play us up and play the system, lets bang him in a cell and...he's in for a breach of the peace but we'll have to charge him with a public order offence once..." PC Blakey, "yeah". Sgt. Dunn, "once we think we know who he is. I would rather do him for an offence than just have him laid here for a breach of the peace."

Sgt Dunn looks over the counter at the prisoner and there is more chat until someone notices that he is not breathing. PC Barr, "there's fucking blood coming out of his mouth as well. " PC. Dawson, "there's blood been coming out of his mouth since he's been..." PC Barr, "a lot of blood." Officer, "since he's come out of hospital." PC Dawson, "well call an ambulance again, I mean we are not..." PC Blakey, "we're not happy. I'm happy..." Sgt Dunn, "just hold on". PC Blakey, "we can't follow him around like minders, can we? this is the trouble." PC Barr, 'he's not fucking breathing lads." Sgt Dunn, "just hold on a minute, let's see if he is alright."

PC Dawson, "do you want an ambulance? PC Blakey, "yeah." PC Barr, "better get an ambulance now." PC Blakey, "and quick." PC Dawson, "foxtrot romeo one eight." PC Barr, "put him on his side." PC Dawson, "foxtrot romeo one eight." Sgt Dunn, "get him in the recovery position". PC Dawson, "yeah, can you get onto ambulance control please, an ambulance to CCO asap." PC Barr, "get him off his chest". PC Blakey, "yeah." PC Dunn, "try his pulse." PC Barr, "we have lost him sarge. There is no pulse, get his head back, put him onto his side." PC Dawson, "express, this is an emergency, over."

Radio, "What is the nature of the injury and which door do you require us at?" PC Dawson, "it is F division CCO, over." Radio, "yes, is that at the rear door, over. PC Dawson, "in the back yard, over." PC Barr, "we are going to have to start compression, sarge." Radio, "what is the nature of the injury please." PC Dawson, "yeah, could have stopped breathing, over" Voice, "is he not breathing?" Sgt Dunn, "hold his tongue, make sure his tongue is not in the way." PC Barr, "it is OK with his tongue".

Sgt Dunn, "so what has he been arrested for then." These people people had been more interested in what they could charge their prisoner with than his welfare.

After watching the events on the CCTV tapes Ruth Bunday, solicitor for the Alder family said, "everyone who has watched this video has been aghast watching a man die in front of them. Peter Herbert QC commented, "I have rarely seen what appears indifference." Janet Alder, the sister of Christopher said, "nobody has answered any questions, everybody has gone into denial...its all been a tragic accident...be on your way...off you go...shut up."

Christopher Alder had spent the last 11 minutes of his life face down on the floor of the custody suite. Death was put down as between 3.55 am and 4 am.

Asked to review the tape, pathologist Nat Carey said, "Christopher Alder was dragged into the custody area, everything suggests he is unconscious, there is no sign of movement, he is placed in a dangerous position lying on his front, face down, handcuffed to the rear. No attempt was made to put him into the recovery position, no attempt to access his medical status in spite of the original observation that this man was in a sufficiently bad state he needed to go to hospital. He is an acute medical emergency in need of attention. At the time of his last breath he went into cardiac arrest and had no detectable pulse, this has been precipitated by lack of oxygen in the blood as a result of a long period of obstructed breathing while unconscious on the floor.

Professor Jack Crane, the Northern Ireland pathologist said, " in my view it is clear cut, this man was brought into the police station deeply unconscious, no attempt was made by the police officers to assess his condition, to render any form of medical aid; he died at the time he did die because he was left lying in a compromised position with his airway obstructed on the custody floor"..

The family of Christopher Alder believe that the CCTV evidence make this a clear case of manslaughter or negligence. Two years later a Coroner's Court was convened in Hull. Once in the witness box all five police officers involved refused to answer any questions on the basis that they could be prejudicial. On the 24th August, 2000 a Coroner's jury returned a unanimous verdict that Christopher Alder had been unlawfully killed - but despite this verdict the Crown Prosecution Service was very reluctant to charge the officers with manslaughter.

An inquest juror said, "I was shocked ... in that somebody could be treated ... not as a human person, a human being ... if it was anybody in the street they would go up to them ... make sure they were in the recovery position (do that and you will be accused : Ed), call a doctor, offer some assistance ... but nothing was done for a man who was unconscious..."

After many months a criminal trial did come to be heard at Teeside Crown Court but after hearing the prosecution case the judge stopped the proceedings and ruled that there was no case to answer (the usual practice. Editor). To confuse, the prosecution had brought a "conference call" of experts. The trial judge said that there was conflicting evidence and that he had never seen a prosecution like it before.

During the trial a junior prosecution barrister did uncovered further evidence on tape recorded after Christopher had died, this tape contained noises. These noises were made with Chris lying dead on the floor. His sister Janet said, "it is clearly heard, police officers making monkey and chimpanzee noises". She said the evidence was found because she would not shut up about how the trial was being run, the noises were also accompanied by laughter. The prosecution claimed these noises were not attributable to individuals and therefore of no consequence. As a result of the trial being stopped no officer has ever been cross examined about Christopher's death.

West Yorkshire Police were called in to investigate in accordance with police procedure. There were blood stains in the van and their photographer had photographed them. A forensic scientist was also called to make a report and when shown the photographs at the inquest said that these blood stains must have been wiped away since they were not in the van when she examined it. A barrister commented that the West Yorkshire Police did not follow many leads that should have been followed.

Before the clothes worn by the officers involved in the case could be examined they had been sent for dry cleaning AND the clothes worn by Christopher that night had been destroyed.

By the time Christopher reached the custody suite on that night his belt was already missing and yet he was wearing a belt when he entered the van, his trousers and shorts were down to his knees and he had MUD on his thigh. When Christopher was examined in the hospital he was found to have one tooth missing and another at a slight angle and lacerations to his upper lip. The autopsy found he had TWO teeth missing, a laceration to his upper lip AND a significant laceration to his LOWER lip.

So what did happen in that van? Did Chris have another brain storm and kick hell out of the fittings? Was the van stopped and Christopher silenced, was his trousers and shorts around his knees to stop him kicking, what was his belt used for? In any similar case involving ordinary members of the public this is the scenario that would be speculated upon by the prosecution in order to get a conviction. There are ordinary people serving long prison sentences on far less evidence than this.

And - why was one of his shoes missing? Did they bring it in from outside or did that go the same way as his belt? Janet Alder now wants a public enquiry into this whole affair - what are Janet's chances in crooked Britain?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAN CLEARED OVER CUSTODY DEATH

Bastards, they tried to deflect the blame by stitching up someone else!

BBC News Friday 27th January 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/4656112.stm

Mr Alder died while handcuffed on the floor of a police station. A nightclubber was falsely charged with assault after a former soldier died in police custody, a court has ruled.

Humberside Police officers wanted to "deflect potential criticism" over the death of Falklands veteran Christopher Alder, Sheffield County Court heard.

Mr Alder choked to death at a Hull police station on 1 April 1998.

Jason Paul was awarded £30,500 damages after a jury heard he tried to stop a fight between Mr Alder and another man on the night the ex-paratrooper died.

Mr Paul was arrested on suspicion of murder the next day when he reported to police voluntarily as a potential witness.

He was subsequently charged with GBH with intent before the Crown Prosecution Service accepted in June that he had nothing to do with the tragedy.

"I was wrongly arrested on suspicion of murder and then charged for GBH with intent because the police needed a scapegoat" :Jason Paul

The two-week civil hearing, which ended on Friday, was Mr Paul's second attempt at claiming false imprisonment and malicious prosecution against Humberside Police.

In 2003 a judge dismissed the case on the grounds there was no factual evidence of police deceit, but the Court of Appeal overturned his ruling and ordered another trial in March of the next year.

The eight-strong jury ruled in favour of Mr Paul on a series of questions posed by the judge.

They agreed unanimously that it was "more likely than not that the police charged (Mr Paul) with causing GBH with intent to deflect potential criticism of the circumstances of Christopher Alder's death".

They also decided by a margin of seven to one that it was "more likely than not that the instruction to arrest for murder was given to deflect potential criticism of the circumstances of Christopher Alder's death".

Fight for justice
Outside court, Mr Paul said: "I am relieved that after eight years my name has been cleared.

"A jury of my peers has publicly recognised that I was wrongly arrested on suspicion of murder and then charged for GBH with intent because the police needed a scapegoat to avoid potential criticism of the circumstances of the death in police custody of Christopher Alder.

"I wish the Alder family success with their continuing fight for justice against Humberside Police."

Five officers - Sgt John Dunn and Pcs Neil Blakey, Mark Ellerington, Nigel Dawson and Matthew Barr - were cleared of Mr Alder's manslaughter and misconduct in 2002, even though an inquest had concluded that he was unlawfully killed.

At least four have now retired.

Humberside Police were refused permission to appeal the verdict, but could petition the Court of Appeal directly.

A spokeswoman for the force said: "We are now considering the full implications of the case and will contemplate our future legal position."

In 2004 a BBC TV programme featured CCTV footage of Mr Alder dying with his trousers around his ankles, while a group of officers chatted nearby.

His sister, Janet, has led a campaign to have a public inquiry set up to investigate her brother's death.

Source for this message:
BBC News Friday 27th January 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/4656112.stm
 

 

 

 

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www.slimeylimeyjustice.org

A picture of Chris (on the right in the photo) in happier times along with workmates. Michael Gardiner, who took the photo, says that Chris was an amiable, well liked guy and will be missed by everyone who knew him. He hopes that the family of Chris get to see this photo.