GPS cases await prosecution decison

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has completed the criminal investigation into the actions of the officer seen to be in contact with Ian Tomlinson in Royal Exchange Passage before his death and a file of evidence has now been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Policing G20 protests in the City

Despite all the publicity about the things that went wrong at the G20 demonstrations, it is important to remember that, overall, this was a very successful police operation. Similar demonstrations in other countries may well have led to hundreds of deaths and serious injuries, and where no such thorough investigations would have taken place.

This view is not just supported by police officers and many
members of the public but has now also been recognised publicly by the Home Secretary and Shadow Home Secretaries, albeit some time after the event.

IPCC Commissioner for London, Deborah Glass, said:“This investigation is one of the largest ever undertaken by the
IPCC and it has been the subject of huge public scrutiny.

“Our investigators have worked tirelessly to complete this large
and complex investigation as quickly and efficiently as possible
and we will now wait for the CPS’s decision as to whether a
prosecution will be brought.

“We have had a remarkable response from the public and I
would like to thank those people who have contacted us for all
their help. Much of the video evidence we have passed to the
CPS was collected by members of the public on cameras or
mobile phones.”

More than 40 IPCC investigators and other members of
IPCC staff from all five of its regional offices have been
involved in this case.

Over 190 premises were visited during a CCTV trawl. This
resulted in footage being obtained from more than 220 cameras. In addition, police footage has been reviewed, including that taken from police evidence gatherers and the police helicopter, as well as footage from people’s mobile
phones and cameras.

This amounted to over 1,200 hours of footage, which has been
reviewed by a dedicated team of IPCC investigators.

During the course of the investigation, statements were
taken from 193 members of the public. The investigation has also obtained evidence from police officers and staff, and medical experts. Forty-two people called the dedicated witness phone line, of which several provided important information that helped progress the investigation.

As well as its own investigators, the IPCC employed the
services of a variety of experts, including organisations specialising in computerised scene reconstruction, video enhancement and forensic testing.

A specialist team was also brought in to trawl the Internet
for associated footage and messages were posted on YouTube
accounts asking the owners of useful footage to contact the IPCC.

The criminal investigation is specifically focused on the actions of an officer seen in contact with Mr Tomlinson in Royal
Exchange Passage. The investigation is continuing into the complaints made by Mr Tomlinson’s family, including the complaint about the media handling in the aftermath of his death.

Two other independent investigations are also now complete:
one into the complaint from Nicola Fisher alleging that she had been assaulted by a Met TSG officer on 2 April; and the other into an allegation that a woman was assaulted by the same Met officer on 1 April while a group of people were held in an
alleyway connecting Bishopsgate and Great St Helens.

A file of evidence has been passed to the CPS with regard to
both of these cases. A further independent investigation into an allegation that a 23-year-old woman was assaulted by officers on 1 April is also concluded and the report is being finalised.

A sixth independent investigation into an allegation of excessive force by an officer against a 23-year-old man from London has been redetermined after the complainant withdrew his complaint.

Let us hope whatever the outcome that those concerned on
both sides can learn from this and avoid problems in the future.
Let us also hope that the public do not believe all they read in the papers and continue to feel safe at night knowing that they are still policed by one of the best and most tolerant police services in the world.

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