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The mother of an actor who plunged to his death after a late-night row with Pete Doherty today called for the musician to face fresh questioning.
Sheila Blanco appealed to police to quiz the singer on the eve of a benefit gig to raise funds for a private investigation. Her son Mark died when he fell from the first floor of a Whitechapel flat, where he had been at a party with the Babyshambles star.
The 30-year-old suffered severe head injuries. Afterwards, police claimed he killed himself trying to jump on to a nearby lamp-post, but a coroner dramatically halted the inquest and called on them to renew their investigation, saying the theory was speculation.
Earlier on the night he died, 3 December 2006, the Cambridge graduate had had a confrontation with Doherty, his bodyguard Johnny “Headlock” Jeannevol and Paul Roundhill, who lived in the flat and has been described as Doherty's literary agent.
Three weeks after the death, Mr Jeannevol admitted killing Mark, but he retracted the statement, saying he was “off his head”.
Today Mrs Blanco, a music lecturer in her sixties from Guildford, pledged to raise £100,000 to pursue a private investigation and called for Doherty to face court.
Tomorrow night a fundraising concert will take place at the Bloomsbury Theatre, compered by comedian Jimmy Carr. Mrs Blanco said: “The police have effectively closed the case, but they should have treated Doherty, Roundhill and Headlock as suspects, not witnesses. Doherty was not even at the inquest. They know what happened.
She insisted it was “nothing personal”, but said: “I want the truth to come out. These three should be cross-examined.” Mrs Blanco has so far spent £25,000 on the case. Dame Judi Dench is understood to have already contributed to the fund.
Mrs Blanco believes her son was knocked unconscious before being tipped over the first-floor ledge when he went back into the block, after earlier being thrown out of the party.
CCTV footage shows Mr Blanco falling 11 feet to the ground. Doherty and Mr Jeannevol are then seen apparently running past his body 22 minutes later, before police and paramedics arrived.
Mrs Blanco said: “We need to raise money because we have to carry on the investigation privately and do work the Met has not done. He may have been knocked unconscious first as the CCTV footage shows he went down like a sack of potatoes — his arms and legs were not flailing at all.
“Mark left and then returned. I think they came down and met him.
“Soon after he hit the ground. I think he was up-ended.”
The first police investigation ruled out suspicious circumstances, concluding there was “no third-party involvement”.
But in October 2007, during the inquest at Poplar coroner's court, Coroner Dr Andrew Reid ordered the Met to reopen their investigation. Dr Reid described the theory that Mr Blanco accidentally killed himself trying to jump onto a lamp-post as “speculation”.
The final report on the second inquiry has not yet been written and Mrs Blanco has been funding her own forensic tests, including work by experts in injury biomechanics. She will present the evidence to police.
But she said she had been told privately by officers that the investigation has proved inconclusive. The family's lawyer, Michael Wolkind QC, added: “Sheila is gathering scientific evidence either to get the authorities to step in or for a private prosecution if necessary.”
A spokesman for the Metropolitan police said: “The Homicide and Specialist Crime Directorate will report to the coroner and the appropriate authorities in due course. The report has not gone at this stage.” A spokesman for Doherty said: “The conclusion the police came to initially is the correct one. We have heard nothing about the conclusion of the second investigation, so are unable to comment further at this stage.”
Reader views (11)
Alexandra, as a fellow fan, you're insulting my intelligence. I also love Pete Doherty's work. Probably listened to The Libertines more than any other band, but for G-d's sake, the man is a drug addict and not sure if you've ever met an addict before but they do unreasonable and out-of-character things when inebriated because they reject responsibility by getting high or drunk. It's the nature of the beast. And how do you know nothing happened?! You don't know any more about it than I do. It's a responsibility and a right to investigate for the sake of justice.
- Carrie, Seattle, WA, 08/07/2009 05:32
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to compare PD with Paul McCartney is ludicrous.
Doherty is a novelty act not a rock legend.
- Al Stuart, ealing, 07/07/2009 22:18
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Why didn't the Police interview Doherty at the time?
- Sonia M., St Albans, Herts, 07/07/2009 17:30
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Hope the poor lady isn't holding her breath about getting justice. Seems to be one rule for 'celebs' - and one for the rest of us. Not just police, but politicians seem to be in awe of these people and let them get away with anything.
- Gabrielle, London, 07/07/2009 16:44
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Re; Mike, London. I agree. Doherty - or atleast his father - is definitely a Mason. There's definitely someone pulling the strings. No one else would get away with the things he does.
- Martin Keen, London, UK, 07/07/2009 16:36
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As tragic as this situation is and undoubtedly if Pete is to blame or there has been any wrong doing I find these comments about him insulting to my intelligence. Have any of you actually ever listened to his music or seen him play? No. Didn't think so. And Wq (we get that ex-pat means outside of the UK BTW) did you not like Clapton, Lennon or even McCartney because they all took drugs too you know.
- Alexandra, London, 07/07/2009 15:21
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I demand we get to the truth
- Paul Jardine, Bromley, 07/07/2009 13:49
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Looks like police have made a right babyshambles of the investigation!
- Nowan King, London, 07/07/2009 13:05
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My own personal theory is that Doherty is a Mason and will keep getting away with things. Its the only thing that makes sense really. Sure, he gets a token 2 week prison sentence every now and then. Just to keep the public from the truth
- Mike, London, 07/07/2009 12:50
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What a total idiot this guy is Yes there should be an investigation as this THING is a low life and will hand drugs around like sweets
- Terry Chambers, London, 07/07/2009 12:21
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I wouldn't trust Doherty as far as I could throw him. He is always 10 feet off the ground and most of the time doesn't even know where he is. Disgusting specimen.
- Wq (Ex Pat), Outside UK, 07/07/2009 11:54
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