‘False statements’ protected officer responsible for death of Blair Peach

A police officer is believed to have been responsible for the “fatal blow” that killed anti-racism activist Blair Peach, reports publicised by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) this week have revealed.

Blair Peach died on April 24, 1979, after receiving a head injury when attending a protest in Southall, West London.

At the time of his death there was a thorough investigation, which stated that 14 witnesses said they saw a police officer hit Mr Peach and that there is no evidence which shows he received the injury in any other way.

The report, written at the time by then Commander John Cass and published this week, states that “it can be reasonably concluded that a police officer struck the fatal blow”. He admits there is “no evidence of a conclusive nature” but adds that the “attitude and untruthfulness” of evidence given by officers largely contributed to this.

The officer, known only as ‘Officer E’ is believed to be responsible for Mr Peach’s death, though Mr Cass says the actions of officers on the day appeared to be “in excess of what was necessary”.
Evidence throughout the report suggests that Officer E, along with officers known as H and F, corroborated to change their statements and protect Officer E.

“It will be seen that the false statements made by Officer E, Officer H and Officer F, are all of the same content. A strong inference that can be drawn from this is that they have conspired together to obstruct police,” Mr Cass states, recommending that “proceedings be taken against Officer E, Officer H and Officer F for obstructing police in the execution of their duty, conspiring to do so, and attempting or conspiracy to pervert the course of justice”.

Mr Cass concludes that there is “insufficient evidence to support proceedings against any person mentioned in this report regarding the death of Blair Peach”.

MPS Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson announced the decision to publicise the documents last year. The release of the information this week follows a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that there is nothing that would currently justify carrying out a further investigation.

Sir Paul said the investigation reports left him “feeling deeply uncomfortable”.

“Thirty one years later we have still been unable to provide the family and friends of Blair Peach with definitive answers regarding the terrible circumstances of his death. That is a matter of deep regret,” he said.

“After a thorough review of all our material, I asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to provide a further reassurance that through being transparent we would not inadvertently endanger any potential prosecution. The CPS has now confirmed there are no further realistic avenues that we can pursue. I am of the clear view that the right place for these documents is the public domain.”

The force was keen to emphasise that the reports were written and the matter investigated more than 30 years ago, when policing styles were very different.

The report highlights how far modern policing has come when Mr Cass states that “whilst it is obviously a consideration that one or more of the officers mentioned may have told lies in their own defence” this “would perhaps be acceptable behaviour in certain circumstances”.

In a statement, the MPS said: “It is important to remember that the majority of these documents were produced 30 years ago and that they reflect the way policing was rather than is. Despite this, at the time the investigation by Commander Cass was commended for being thorough and determined by the then Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Secretary of Police Complaints Board.”

Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, Kit Malthouse, said: “The Commissioner is to be commended on the sensitive and transparent way he has approached the Blair Peach report. His decision to review the report, resubmit it to the CPS, and then publish it, is exactly the right one, and has been welcomed by t