Met Police cleared of misconduct over custody death

Five Metropolitan Police officers have been cleared of misconduct over the death of a musician who died in Brixton Police station.

Sean Rigg, 40, who had schizophrenia, died after he was restrained while in custody in August 2008.

PCs Andrew Birks, Richard Glasson, Matthew Forward and Mark Harratt and Sgt Paul White were accused of a string of failings over Mr Rigg’s treatment.

A Met Police misconduct panel found “none of the allegations are proved”.

The five officers had faced disciplinary proceedings over the arrest and detention of Mr Rigg more than a decade after he died.

‘Sleepless nights’

The Police Federation, which represents police officers, has now called for a one-year time limit for disciplinary proceedings.

Mr Rigg’s sister, Marcia Rigg-Samuel, said: “It’s been traumatic, sleepless nights. Reliving the death at various stages in these 10-and-a-half years that no family should have to go through.”

Mrs Rigg-Samuel has campaigned for nearly 11 years to have her brother’s death investigated.

She said: “We should be able to rely on the judicial system to do the right thing in a reasonable period of time.

“Ten-and-a half years is totally unacceptable in itself.”

Mr Rigg was arrested in Balham in August 2008 after he was seen aiming karate kicks at members of the public for no apparent reason.

He was restrained in the prone position by three officers for more than seven minutes and later died after suffering a heart attack.

In 2012, an inquest jury found police had used “unsuitable force” when they arrested Mr Rigg.

Source: (BBC News)