Lord Toby Harris backs deaths in custody inquiry call

By Dominic Casciani, BBC News Online, Tuesday, 17 December, 2002, 08:18 GMT
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2581663.stm

The chairman of the body overseeing the Metropolitan Police Authority has backed calls for a public inquiry into deaths in custody where no charges have been brought against officers.

Lord Toby Harris said he wanted to see a full judicial inquiry into some of the cases from the past three decades.

But he warned campaigners that public hearings may not actually give them what they wanted.

It would also be wrong to set up expectations of what an inquiry could do

Lord Harris was speaking at an unprecedented public meeting between families and representatives of the police following a screening of a controversial documentary which has charted the campaigns.

The film, Injustice, has been involved in a year-long legal battle with the Police Federation, the organisation for rank and file officers, which has tried to stop it being shown at cinemas around the country.

Government's call

Lord Harris said he wished it was "in his power" to launch an inquiry.

Campaigners involved in deaths in custody

"I certainly believe that with some of the cases there is never going to be a proper explanation [of what happened] without some sort o public inquiry," he said. "But in some instances we will never know what happened.

"But it would also be wrong to set up expectations of what an inquiry could do."

Lord Harris said his body and the Metropolitan Police had played no hand in the attempts to block Injustice, which has been shown across the country at invitation-only screenings.

He also denied he had pressured London Mayor Ken Livingstone to stop campaigning on deaths in custody.

"Neither the police authority not the mayor can order a public inquiry with the powers to compel people to give evidence," he told the audience.

"I would like to see that sort of inquiry take place. But we can't call it; that's for the government to call."

Angry scenes

Injustice tells the stories of a handful of deaths in custody by following family campaigns to see police officers face criminal charges.

Listening to the responses I know why I did not interview officers for the film - it would have been a waste of time.

Ken Fero, filmmaker

In its widest possible interpretation, some 1,000 people have died in custody, prison cells or in mental institutions since 1969, though many of the deaths have been either suicides or drugs-related.

But in one of the most controversial cases highlighted by the film, Londoner Brian Douglas died after suffering at least 35 injuries to his body following a stop and search by officers in 1994.

A coroner's jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing, but the Crown Prosecution service did not press charges against the officers named in the film.

The previous home secretary, Jack Straw, ruled out a public inquiry after meeting the family of Mr Douglas and others who have died.

Metropolitan Police Acting Deputy Assistant Commissioner Phil Hagon, who attended the screening for the force, faced heckles when he said police forces were trying to learn from past mistakes.

He argued there had already been a dramatic fall in the number of deaths in custody because of better monitoring of prisoners and training of officers.

"In the last three years there has not been one case of someone dying from hand-to-hand conflict with a police officer," said asst commissioner Hagon.

"There has been a massive campaign of education. Are we at out destination? Of course not, we are on a journey."

Lawrence inquiry

Asst commissioner Hagon said the killing of Stephen Lawrence and inquiry into the handling of the police investigation had been a catalyst for forces to act on deaths in custody.

Asked by the audience to comment on why no police officers had been jailed over a death in custody, he said: "We hand [these cases] to other authorities to take the decision. What I feel about it is of no consequence.

"I won't be able to convince you that we are on top of the problems. But the legacy of these deaths must be improvements now and for the future."

Ken Fero, director of Injustice, accused the officer and Lord Harris of perpetuating a wall of silence on the deaths.

"Listening to the responses I know why I did not interview officers for the film - it would have been a waste of time. The families want prosecutions, nothing less."