Morning:
8°c
Ian Tomlinson's family accuse London police of cover-up
Ben Bailey7 Aug 2009
The family of Ian Tomlinson today accused police of a cover-up to stop them finding out the truth about his death during G20 protests.
His widow Julia and son Paul King said they felt under pressure from police and independent investigators not to speak out.
But they said a decision to pass a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) earlier this week made them change their minds.
They said police tried to persuade them there was nothing suspicious about the death and handed them an edited version of the first post mortem examination.
In an interview with the Guardian, his family said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) should have helped them from the day of his death.
Mr King said: "We've asked to see the evidence that [the IPCC] passed to the CPS. We're still waiting for it ... we haven't seen it.
"Everyone knows that there was a lot of cover-up in the beginning. The truth will come out in the end."
Mr Tomlinson, 47, collapsed and died in Cornhill, in the shadow of the Bank of England, on the evening of April 1.
He clashed repeatedly with lines of police officers as he attempted to walk home across the City during heated G20 demonstrations.
Police initially said he died from a heart attack and a pathologist agreed with them after a first post mortem examination.
But amateur video footage emerged of an officer hitting him with a baton and pushing him to the ground minutes before he collapsed.
A second post mortem examination, conducted on behalf of the IPCC, found he died from internal bleeding.
Mrs Tomlinson criticised the IPCC for failing to properly investigate her husband's death until after the video was broadcast, almost a week after his death.
She said: "The IPCC should have been there from day one - definitely - not left it five days later."
Mrs Tomlinson also described the moment officers arrived at her house in the Isle of Dogs, east London, to tell her Mr Tomlinson was dead.
The family said they were not allowed to see his body and were not told about other injuries, including blood in his stomach and a suspected dog bite.
Mr King said: "We've been confused by the City police, Metropolitan police, IPCC to not say anything: 'Don't say anything, because you'll jeopardise the case'.
"I think we've been so confused with all that - don't say this, don't say that, even down to don't talk to the media - they've made us quite scared to talk.
"The IPCC have finished their investigation, we haven't been able to talk, and we just want to let people know how we feel. We are grieving."
Reader views (2)
The guy lived in a hostel . . . clearly the "family" wasn't too concerned about that.
- Eoin Mcgreeghan, Derry, NI, 07/08/2009 21:45
Report abuse
I'll try again - was Tomlinson married, separated or divorced (as I recall one article mention, though I can't find it)? This WOULD have an effect on what information was released to the family. I have been under the distinct impression that he DIDN'T live with his family.
- Rogan, Irving, 07/08/2009 19:00
Report abuse
