Latest news with #Bayoh
The National
4 days ago
- The National
Sheku Bayoh family member receives £1m in compensation
Almost ten years after Bayoh's death, his family resolved the civil action in March after it was first raised in May 2018, reaching an out-of-court settlement concerning his death. The family's lawyer, Aamer Anwar, reportedly said a settlement was agreed without any admission of liability by Police Scotland. A father-of-two, Bayoh died after he was restrained by around six police officers who were called to reports of a man carrying a knife on Hayfield Road in Kirkcaldy on May 3, 2015. READ MORE: Scottish Labour minister leaves Government for health reasons Officers were accused of using excessive force after they restrained him by his legs and arms, using CS spray or tear gas and batons. Bayoh lost consciousness after being restrained and was pronounced dead in hospital. His family launched a civil action against Police Scotland three years later and an ongoing public inquiry was launched to examine the circumstances leading to his death and whether or not race was a factor. It was announced on Friday that up to ten members of the family have received compensation from Police Scotland, including a single award of more than £1m. The figure appears in a report for the Scottish Police Authority's (SPA) legal committee under the heading public liability claims. The SPA report said, 'quarter four saw the settlement of a very large litigation that involved several pursuers'. (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire) The total amount paid out to all relatives of Bayoh was not revealed. However, in 2018, Anwar said the action for damages in the Court of Session was £1.85m. Anwar confirmed the settlement was agreed without any admission of liability by Police Scotland, despite previously describing Bayoh's case as a 'national disgrace'. 'On May 3, it will be the tenth anniversary of Sheku's death in police custody, however, the struggle for the truth continues,' he previously said. 'As we reach the final stages of the Public Inquiry, those who broke the law should remember there is no time limit on justice. There will be no further comment today.' The Scottish Police Federation, the body that represents rank and file officers, said it was 'surprised' by the chief constable's decision to settle the claim against the force. A spokesperson said: 'The only person who can be said indisputably to have broken the law is Sheku Bayoh. 'On any view of the evidence, he took illegal drugs, engaged in a fight with a friend, armed himself with a large knife and then took to the streets of Kirkcaldy, where he terrified many members of the public who asked the police to help before assaulting a female police officer by punching her to the ground. 'These are facts which are wholly unchallenged. 'As the inquiry continues, it would be inappropriate to say any more at this stage, other than to remind the public that the clear position of the officers involved in the apprehension of Mr Bayoh is that they acted reasonably, in the public interest in the circumstances, given the danger that he presented.'
STV News
4 days ago
- STV News
Sheku Bayoh family member receives over £1m in compensation from Police Scotland
Ten members of the family of Sheku Bayoh have received compensation from Police Scotland, including a single award of more than £1 million. In March, almost ten years after Mr Bayoh's death, his family resolved the civil action first raised in May 2018 after reaching an out-of-court settlement concerning his death. The settlement was agreed without any admission of liability by Police Scotland, the family's lawyer Aamer Anwar confirmed. Sheku Bayoh, a father-of-two, died after he was restrained by around six police officers who were called to reports of a man carrying a knife on Hayfield Road in Kirkcaldy on May 3, 2015. Officers restrained him by his legs and arms, used CS spray or tear gas and batons and were accused of using excessive force. Mr Bayoh lost consciousness after being restrained and was pronounced dead in hospital. His family launched a civil action against Police Scotland three years later and an ongoing public inquiry was launched to examine the circumstances leading to the death and whether or not race was a factor. It has now been revealed that up to ten members of the family have received compensation from Police Scotland, including a single award of more than £1m. The figure appears in a report for the Scottish Police Authority's (SPA) legal committee under the heading 'public liability claims'. The SPA report said 'quarter 4 saw the settlement of a very large litigation that involved several pursuers'. The total figure for all relatives of Mr Bayoh was not revealed, but in 2018, Mr Anwar said the action for damages in the Court of Session was for £1.85m. The settlement was agreed without any admission of liability by Police Scotland, the lawyer confirmed, who previously said that Mr Bayoh's case was a 'national disgrace'. 'On May 3, it will be the tenth anniversary of Sheku's death in police custody, however the struggle for the truth continues,' he previously said. 'As we reach the final stages of the Public Inquiry, those who broke the law should remember there is no time limit on justice. There will be no further comment today.' The Scottish Police Federation, the body that represents rank and file officers, said it was 'surprised' by the chief constable's decision to settle the claim against the force. A spokesperson said: 'The only person who can be said indisputably to have broken the law is Sheku Bayoh. 'On any view of the evidence, he took illegal drugs, engaged in a fight with a friend, armed himself with a large knife and then took to the streets of Kirkcaldy, where he terrified many members of the public who asked the police to help before assaulting a female police officer by punching her to the ground. 'These are facts which are wholly unchallenged. 'As the inquiry continues, it would be inappropriate to say any more at this stage, other than to remind the public that the clear position of the officers involved in the apprehension of Mr Bayoh is that they acted reasonably, in the public interest in the circumstances, given the danger that he presented.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Troubled Sheku Bayoh public inquiry drafts in UK's top expert amid fears it could collapse
The public inquiry guru has previously represented clients in the Shipman Inquiry, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry NEW APPOINTMENT Troubled Sheku Bayoh public inquiry drafts in UK's top expert amid fears it could collapse Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAJOR probe into the death of a man in police custody has drafted in the UK's leading public inquiry expert amid fears it could collapse. Jason Beer KC was confirmed as new senior counsel of the troubled Sheku Bayoh Inquiry on Tuesday. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Sign up 3 Jason Beer KC was confirmed as new senior counsel of the public inquiry Credit: PA 3 Sheku Bayoh's family along with lawyer Aamer Anwar Credit: Alan MacGregor Ewing His appointment could send costs of the £24million inquiry spiralling further despite Police Scotland agreeing to a secret settlement with Mr Bayoh's family. It is understood Mr Beer will lead the work around the hearings which will examine whether Lord Bracadale's conduct during the inquiry has been fair. These will take place on June 12 and 13, the Inquiry website states. A source close to the inquiry said: 'It seems Lord Bracadale and the Scottish Government now realise there is a major problem regarding the allegations of a lack of fairness, and that Mr Beer's appointment is a last-ditch attempt to keep the ship on course. 'There is also the question of Mr Beer's fees, which will only add to the current cost to taxpayers of nearly £24million.' The London lawyer is already working for counter-terrorism police as part of the inquiry into the Southport terror attack and as the main lawyer for NHS England in the inquiry into how Lucy Letby was allowed to murder seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The public inquiry guru has previously represented clients in the Shipman Inquiry into the murders by serial killer doc Harold Shipman, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, and was the lead lawyer for the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry into wrongly prosecuted subpostmasters. The Sheku Bayoh Inquiry was launched after Mr Bayoh died in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in 2015 after being restrained by six officers. Chair of the inquiry Lord Bracadale is considering whether to step down after the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, raised concerns over his impartiality. SPF general secretary David Kennedy said in April: 'We have lost confidence in the inquiry and consider it necessary to petition for judicial review.' He is set to seek opinions at a hearing in June and if the judge quits, a significant delay in issuing the inquiry's findings is expected. Bayoh family lawyer Aamer Anwar branded the move by the SPF 'beneath contempt'. Cops insisted the out-of court settlement struck with Mr Bayoh's relatives represented 'best value' - but refused to say how much had been paid out. A spokeswoman for the Inquiry said: 'The Inquiry is delighted to welcome Jason Beer KC to the team. Mr Beer has a wealth of valuable experience across public inquiries and we look forward to working with him in the weeks to come.' Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr MSP said: 'Huge amounts of taxpayers' money have already been spent on this inquiry and this latest appointment will clearly add further expense. 'Given the extreme pressures on public finances the SNP need to come clean about what is truly happening with the Sheku Bayoh inquiry and guarantee answers will be delivered for all involved.' The Scottish Government have been contacted for comment.
The Herald Scotland
19-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Cost of public inquiries in Scotland since 2007 rises to £230m
Some £666,949 of this was spent on staff, while £316,035 was spent on external legal costs. Patients of the disgraced neurosurgeon, who worked for NHS Tayside between 1995 and 2014, have claimed he harmed as many as 200 people, with some suffering life-changing injuries. The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which was announced in 2014 to investigate the abuse of children in care, remains the most expensive in the country, with a current cost of £95.3 million. READ MORE: The Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry, which is examining the Government's response to the pandemic, was announced in 2021 and has already cost £34 million. Meanwhile, the cost of the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry, which was announced in 2019, stood at £23.6 million as of December 2024. That inquiry is probing the death of Mr Bayoh, who died after being restrained by police in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in 2015. The costs of the ongoing Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, which is examining issues with the construction of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, have risen to £23.6 million. That inquiry was announced in 2019. The completed Edinburgh Trams Inquiry cost £13.1 million. The news comes as Holyrood's Finance Committee investigates the cost-effectiveness of public inquiries. MSPs could probe the role of legal firms and whether they have a vested interest in inquiries running on for years past their original finish date, and whether they have a conflict of interest in seeking to broaden the remit of inquiries, increasing costs further. Professor Sandy Cameron, the former chair of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, will appear before the Finance Committee on Tuesday. In a written submission to the committee, Professor Cameron said that part of the reason for the rising costs of inquiries was the difficulty in managing legal fees and holding solicitors to budget. He said: 'It has to be recognised that inquiries are a source of substantial income for some large legal firms and, as such, the question arises as to the extent to which they are motivated to keep costs to a minimum and within budget.' Costs can also increase if more victims come forward when the timetable of an inquiry is expanded. Professor Cameron warned the length of some inquiries risks the loss of public interest while adding pressure to victims seeking answers. She said there is also the risk of 'passion fatigue' for participants if they run on. He added: 'Essentially, we need to ask the questions what are inquiries trying to achieve and could they be done differently? 'If we were starting from scratch could we devise a process which was more effective and less costly?'
The Herald Scotland
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Police federation consider legal action against Bayoh inquiry
Details of the substance of the private meetings have not been disclosed. Aamer Anwar, the solicitor for Mr Bayoh's family, said it was not unusual for the chair of a public inquiry to meet victims' families. David Kennedy, General Secretary of the SPF, said: 'These unusual developments have left many core participants feeling that the process no longer appears transparent and open, with all core participants having been treated equally. 'We have lost confidence in the inquiry and regrettably, we have been compelled to indicate that we consider it necessary to petition for judicial review. "We are seeking a fair and transparent public inquiry. We will of course listen to what Lord Bracadale has to say at the forthcoming hearing, but as things stand I imagine that it will be necessary to proceed with the petition." The inquiry is a public inquiry governed by the Inquiries Act 2005. It has so far cost just under £24 million. The inquiry was announced by the Scottish Ministers on 12 November 2019 to examine the circumstances of the death of Sheku Bayoh, who died following his arrest by officers of Police Scotland on 3 May 2015. The inquiry began hearing evidence on or around 10 May 2022. Earlier today the BBC reported that Lord Bracadale was to consider whether he should step down after the SPF questioned his impartiality. Mr Bayoh, a father-of-two, was 31 when he died in May 2015 after being restrained by six police officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife. Former High Court judge Lord Bracadale, who was appointed five years ago, will seek the opinion of all the parties represented at the inquiry at a hearing in June, before deciding whether to carry on or step aside. If he stays, the federation could challenge his decision through a judicial review. But if Lord Bracadale goes, it will result in a significant delay to the inquiry issuing its findings. Aamer Anwar, the Bayoh family's solicitor, described the SPF's move as a "desperate and pathetic attempt to derail the inquiry". And he said if Lord Bracadale does step down it would delay proceedings by "years". A spokesperson for the inquiry said: "The Scottish Police Federation has raised concerns about Lord Bracadale meeting with the families of Mr Bayoh. "Loss of confidence by a core participant in the fairness of the conduct and procedure of the inquiry by Lord Bracadale is a matter of concern. "The Inquiry intends to hold a public hearing in June on the fairness of the conduct and procedure adopted by Lord Bracadale in meeting the families. Submissions are invited from all core participants." Since his appointment in 2020, Lord Bracadale has held 122 days of oral hearings, examining what happened on the day of Mr Bayoh's death, the way the incident was investigated and handled by the authorities and whether race was a factor. The uncertainty over his position comes with the inquiry's finishing line in sight. It has completed the process of gathering evidence and was due to hear closing submissions before Lord Bracadale begins the task of reaching his conclusions. Mr Anwar added: "Lord Bracadale is a man who is widely respected across the legal profession. "He has given 50 years of his life to public service, without blemish. "This attempt to attack his integrity and impartiality, as far as the Bayoh family is concerned, is beneath contempt." Latest figures show that by the end of December last year the overall cost of Lord Bracadale's inquiry itself, covering factors such as its set-up and staffing, had hit £23,765,467. This was up from £22,095,804 at the end of September.
