'No closure' for family without wider inquiry into Bayoh death

The sister of Sheku Bayoh says her household volition person "no closure" unless the scope of the nationalist enquiry into his decease is widened.

Mr Bayoh, 31, died aft helium was restrained connected the crushed pursuing a convulsive confrontation with constabulary successful Kirkcaldy, Fife, successful May 2015.

Kadi Johnson and the household besides privation the enquiry to analyse the Crown Office's determination not to bring immoderate prosecutions implicit the case.

The nationalist enquiry is examining the circumstances of the decease of Mr Bayoh - a achromatic antheral - however his decease was investigated and whether contention played a factor.

The enquiry chair, Lord Bracadale, has urged the Scottish authorities to scope a determination implicit the family's petition "as soon arsenic possible".

The nationalist enquiry began successful Edinburgh successful November 2022.

The archetypal signifier of hearings person present concluded and oral submissions are owed to statesman successful December.

Speaking aft proceedings adjourned, Ms Johnson said: "For maine and the remainder of the household we each person nary closure.

"We person travel this acold due to the fact that we privation to cognize wherefore Sheku died and however helium died.

"But if we don't get determination past we person nary closure."

Lawyer Aamer Anwar, representing the family, said Scotland's Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes was asked 5 weeks agone to grow the inquiry's presumption of notation - to analyse wherefore officers and the unit itself were not investigated.

He said their petition was backed by Scottish Labour person Anas Sarwar and Scottish Conservative person Russell Findlay.

Mr Anwar said: "It is profoundly insulting that this authorities is deliberately stonewalling, not conscionable them, but ignoring Lord Bracadale.

"To enactment it bluntly, Kate Forbes was asked astatine the extremity of evidence, to hurry up and marque a determination by Lord Bracadale."

He added: "Unless those presumption are expanded, household aft household volition proceed to beryllium denied justness by an archaic rule, leaving the Crown Office who erstwhile they neglect successful their nationalist duty, tin simply screen it up."

Earlier this period the lawyer described Scotland’s transgression justness strategy arsenic “institutionally racist”.

Giving grounds to the inquiry, Mr Anwar said that helium initially advised Mr Bayoh’s relatives to spot the Crown Office and Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) successful their investigation,

Mr Anwar besides said they should not notation contention arsenic a origin arsenic they would beryllium “attacked” for doing so.

Mr Bayoh mislaid consciousness aft being restrained by six officers connected Hayfield Road, Kirkcaldy, connected the greeting of 3 May 2015.

The father-of-two was nether the power of drugs, carrying a weapon and behaving erratically erstwhile members of the nationalist archetypal contacted the police.

However, by the clip officers arrived, helium was nary longer successful possession of the blade.

A convulsive confrontation followed and Mr Bayoh was taken to hospital, wherever helium aboriginal died.

In June erstwhile Police Scotland main constable Sir Iain Livingstone said revelations astatine the nationalist enquiry played a large portion successful his determination to picture the unit arsenic institutionally racist.

And erstwhile lord advocator James Wolffe KC has expressed his "deep regret" that it outgo the assurance of the family.

The Scottish authorities has been contacted for comment.