Sheku Bayoh police request meeting with first minister

Police officers involved in an altercation which ended in the death of Sheku Bayoh ten years ago in Fife have requested a meeting with the first minister following the “collapse” of the probe into the incident.

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

John Swinney said he was happy to meet with Mr Bayoh’s family, who said they felt “totally betrayed” by the criminal justice system following the decision.

But lawyers for the SPF said it was “of deep concern” that a similar invite had not been extended to the officers involved to “reflect parity”.

In a letter to the first minister, seen by BBC Scotland News, they said the circumstances around Lord Bracadale’s resignation had caused “considerable concern”.

Swinney previously said he would like to meet with Mr Bayoh’s family again to “assure them of the importance” of completing the inquiry.

However the SPF said a similar offer should have been made to its officers.

They wrote: “We note that you have agreed to meet with the family of Mr Bayoh.

“However, it is of deep concern to our clients that no similar invitation has been extended to the police officers who responded to multiple 999 calls reporting a man walking the streets of Kirkcaldy brandishing a nine-inch bladed weapon, attacking vehicles, and posing a serious threat to public safety.

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

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

They added: “We would be pleased to make arrangements for such a meeting at your convenience and hope you will consider this request in the same spirit as your engagement with the family of the deceased.”

The Sheku Bayoh inquiry began in November 2020 to examine the death of the father-of-two under restraint from officers in Kirkcaldy in May 2015.

It has so far cost £26.2m, with an additional £24.3m spent by Police Scotland, including £17.3m of legal costs.

Mr Bayoh, who was 31, was restrained by six police officers after he was allegedly spotted carrying a knife and behaving erratically on a street in Kirkcaldy.

He was not carrying the knife when officers arrived at the scene.

Mr Bayoh lost consciousness during the struggle that ensued and later died in hospital.

The SPF allege one officer, PC Nicole Short, was the victim of a “violent assault” during the incident, which led to her retirement on ill-health grounds.

They added that, while Mr Bayoh was not armed at the time of his arrest, a knife was recovered “mere feet” from where he was restrained.

Lord Bracadale had been appointed to lead the public inquiry into his death.

It has been looking at how the police dealt with the aftermath, the investigation into Mr Bayoh’s death and whether race was a factor.

However, the former judge stood down from the inquiry months after initially refusing an SPF call to resign over concerns about his meetings with Mr Bayoh’s family.

The family and their lawyer have repeatedly insisted Lord Bracadale did nothing wrong.

In his resignation letter to deputy first minister Kate Forbes, Lord Bracadale said participants in the inquiry had “lost confidence in my conduct of the Inquiry to such an extent that it cannot be retrieved”.

Senior counsel to the Inquiry Angela Graham KC, Laura Thomson KC and Jason Beer KC resigned two days later, as did junior counsel Rachel Barrett and Sarah Loosemore.

The inquiry has heard all of its evidence and its final stage would be the hearing of closing submissions.

A report will then be prepared by a new chairperson.

The Scottish government has been contacted for comment.