Sheku Bayoh Police Requests to Meet First Minister

Police officers concerned within the brawl in Fife that ended with the dying of Sheku Bayoh ten years in the past have requested a gathering with the First Minister after an investigation into the incident “collapsed”.

Lord Bracadale resigned as chair of the Sheku Bayoh inquiry final month after the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) repeatedly questioned his impartiality.

John Swinney mentioned he was glad to satisfy Mr Bayoh's household, who mentioned they felt “completely betrayed” by the legal justice system after the decision.

But attorneys for SPF mentioned it was “a matter of deep concern” that the identical invitation had not been prolonged to the officers concerned “to show equality”.

In a letter to the First Minister, seen by BBC Scotland News, he mentioned the circumstances surrounding Lord Bracadale's resignation had prompted “considerable concern”.

Swinney beforehand mentioned he would Would love to satisfy Mr. Bioh's household once more “To reassure them of the importance” of finishing the investigation.

However SPF mentioned an analogous provide ought to have been made to its officers.

He wrote: “We note that you have agreed to meet with Mr. Bayoh’s family.

“However, it is of deep concern to our customers that no such invitation was made to police officers who responded to numerous 999 calls reporting that a man was roaming the streets of Kirkcaldy carrying a nine-inch bladed weapon, attacking vehicles and posing a serious threat to public safety.

“Given the seriousness of the incident, the public service provided by these officers and the ongoing national priority of addressing knife crime in Scotland, we respectfully request that you extend an invitation to meet with officers who wish to attend.

“Such a meeting would reflect respect and recognition of their role in responding to a dangerous and volatile situation.”

He added: “We would be happy to arrange such a meeting at your convenience and hope that you will consider this request in the same spirit as your association with the family of the deceased.”

The Sheku Bayoh inquiry started in November 2020 to research the dying of a father-of-two beneath restrictions from authorities in Kirkcaldy in May 2015.

It has value £26.2m up to now, with an extra £24.3m spent by Police Scotland, together with £17.3m in authorized prices.

Mr Bayoh, aged 31, was stopped by six cops after he was allegedly seen carrying a knife and behaving erratically on a avenue in Kirkcaldy.

When officers arrived on the scene, he didn’t have a knife.

Mr Bayoh grew to become unconscious in the course of the wrestle and later died in hospital.

The SPF alleges that one officer, PC Nicole Short, was the sufferer of a “violent assault” in the course of the incident, resulting in her retirement on grounds of sick well being.

He additional mentioned that, whereas Mr Bayoh was not armed on the time of his arrest, a knife was recovered “mere feet” from the place he was stopped.

Lord Bracadale was appointed to steer a public inquiry into his dying.

It seems at how police handled the aftermath, investigating Mr Bayoh's dying and whether or not race was an element.

nevertheless, Former choose recused from investigation This comes months after he initially rejected SPF requires Mr Bayoh to resign over issues about his conferences together with his household.

The household and their attorneys are repeatedly insisting Lord Bracadale did nothing mistaken.

In his resignation letter to Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Lord Bracadale mentioned that these taking part within the inquiry had “lost confidence in my conduct of the investigation to an extent that it cannot be regained”.

The inquiry's senior counsel Angela Graham Casey, Laura Thomson Casey and Jason Beare Casey resigned two days later, as did junior counsel Rachel Barrett and Sarah Loosemore.

The inquiry has heard all its proof and its remaining stage would be the listening to of closing arguments.

After this a report will likely be ready by the brand new chairman.

The Scottish Government has been contacted for remark.