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Sean Rigg IPCC police death report criticised by review Sean Rigg report criticises IPCC
(about 7 hours later)
An independent review of a man's death in custody has criticised the police watchdog's investigation of the case. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) made a series of mistakes in investigating the death of a man in custody, a review has found.
The review said the IPCC failed to robustly examine evidence - including CCTV footage - relating to the death of 40-year-old Sean Rigg at Brixton police station, south London, in 2008. Sean Rigg, 40, who had schizophrenia, died at Brixton police station, south London, in August 2008.
It added that the watchdog's ability to investigate the police was hampered by a lack of resources. An IPCC report ruled out disciplinary action for police. But an independent review was ordered after an inquest found officers used "unsuitable force".
The watchdog says it accepts the report and will reinvestigate the officers. The IPCC accepts the new report, which recommends charges are reconsidered.
Mr Rigg was arrested in Balham, south London. The musician, who had schizophrenia, had earlier suffered a relapse and was found walking naked from the waist up in the street, performing martial arts moves. Mr Rigg was arrested in Balham, south London, after he had earlier been found walking topless in the middle of the road, performing martial arts moves.
Police had failed to respond to calls for help from his hostel - but apprehended Mr Rigg after members of the public reported that he had briefly attacked a man. He was apprehended after members of the public reported that he had briefly attacked a man.
The arresting officers restrained Mr Rigg for eight minutes on the ground and then took him to the police station. The arresting officers restrained Mr Rigg for several minutes on the ground and then took him to the police station.
Mr Rigg was recorded on police systems as having a mental illness - but officers did not establish who he was despite taking his passport from him. The review - led by criminologist Dr Silvia Casale - was commissioned by the IPCC to take another look at its own investigation and report, described by Mr Rigg's family as "extremely poor and ineffective".
In 2012, an inquest jury said police had used "unsuitable" force and the manner of restraint had contributed to Mr Rigg's death. Publication of the original IPCC report, which had been completed many months earlier, was held back until August 2012 when the jury in Mr Rigg's inquest delivered its verdict.
The original Independent Police Complaints Commission report, prepared before the inquest, ruled out disciplinary action. Findings included that the manner of restraint had contributed to Mr Rigg's death.
But an independent review of that report, led by criminologist Dr Silvia Casale, said it had been seriously flawed. Basic mistakes
It said: "Based on the accumulated evidence following the inquest, the review recommends that the IPCC reconsider the conduct of the police officers involved in the apprehension, restraint and detention of Mr Rigg, in relation to possible breaches of their duty of care, with a view to determining whether to bring misconduct proceedings." Dr Casale's report recommends, "based on the accumulated evidence following the inquest", that the IPCC "reconsider the conduct of the police officers involved in the apprehension, restraint and detention of Mr Rigg, in relation to possible breaches of their duty of care, with a view to determining whether to bring misconduct proceedings".
It said the IPCC had made basic mistakes, including failing to properly investigate CCTV footage at the police station. Investigators also failed to get full answers to their questions about the officers' perceptions of Sean Rigg's behaviour. It said the IPCC had made basic mistakes, including failing to properly investigate CCTV footage at the police station.
Marcia Rigg, Sean Rigg's sister, said: "Almost five years after our brother's unnecessary death this report shows just how badly we were failed by the IPCC, not to mention the police. The report calls on the IPCC to look at the length of time Mr Rigg was restrained in a "prone position" and how well he had been looked after when he was in a police van.
"The fact that the IPCC has accepted all the report's recommendations is incredibly encouraging for us. We recognise the importance of a body like the IPCC to hold the police to account. But that is exactly what it must do. We hope that a complete reinvestigation of the issues identified by the review, with new consideration of police misconduct and criminal proceedings, will take place as quickly as possible." And it asks the IPCC to reconsider claims by four officers that they did not know Mr Rigg was mentally ill, despite his strange behaviour and repeated past contact with police.
Dame Anne Owers, chairwoman of the IPCC, said: "The Rigg family has demonstrated determination and dignity over a long period of time. I am conscious that the shortcomings identified in this review, and the length of time it has taken to get to this stage, have added to the distress and grief of the Rigg family and I have apologised to them for this. The report said the officers found his passport, incorrectly assumed it was stolen and failed to run background checks to find out his identity.
"Some things have already changed since 2008. As Dr Casale recognises, we now have critical incident management processes in place and we have clarified and strengthened the role that Commissioners play in overseeing investigations." When officers were later questioned by the IPCC about why this had happened, Police Federation representatives present had behaved "inappropriately" in batting off questions, the report found.
In March, the IPCC arrested two serving and one retired police officer on suspicion of perverting the course of justice over evidence given at Mr Rigg's inquest. The officers remain on bail. Metropolitan Police Federation chairman John Tully told BBC News he could not comment on the case because of "other ongoing matters that I would not wish to influence".
But he said the federation would "carefully digest" the report's recommendations to see if there was "any organisational learning that will improve the way we deal with our members in such circumstances".
The IPCC report had concluded there was no evidence to contradict the officers' account that they had not realised Mr Rigg was mentally ill.
But Dr Casale's report concluded: "The review considers that there was ample evidence at the time to suggest that this assertion was improbable."
Dr Casale told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is fair to say that, in 2008, the job wasn't being done as well as it could have been done."
But she said that, while their were "still issues of resources... the indications are that there has been real improvement".
'Limited budget'
Mr Rigg's sister, Marcia, said the family had concerns about the IPCC investigation from the beginning and had to fight just to get the commission to interview the officers involved.
"It was difficult for us understanding why they couldn't interview the officers and we had to make a complaint. It took seven months before they actually took officers' statements," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Much of the progress in her brother's case was "down to the family" who had fought hard to help uncover evidence heard at the inquest, she added.
And she called for a fresh IPCC investigation, adding: "We very much welcome that as a family."
Ann Owers, chairwoman of the IPCC, said it would review the case and may reinvestigate.
"Obviously there is a lot more evidence, evidence that came out at inquest, evidence in Dr Casale's review.
"The first thing to do is to look at that and whether, on that basis, we need to look at our findings," she told Today.
She said the report had acknowledged improvements and "that we work with a very limited budget... often dealing with obstruction or reluctance on the part of the police".
In March, the IPCC arrested two serving and one retired police officers on suspicion of perverting the course of justice over evidence given at Mr Rigg's inquest. The officers remain on bail.
A separate independent review, partly prompted by Sean Rigg's death, recently called on the Metropolitan Police to improve how it deals with people with mental illness, saying they are too often treated like criminals.A separate independent review, partly prompted by Sean Rigg's death, recently called on the Metropolitan Police to improve how it deals with people with mental illness, saying they are too often treated like criminals.