IPCC publishes reports into death of Ian Tomlinson

Ian Tomlinson’s family should feel “angry and aggrieved” according to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) after it found that key evidence surrounding the death of Mr Tomlinson was only published by the police after it had been published in the press.

The IPCC published its report following the conclusion of an inquest into the incident last week which returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

It said it will investigate a further allegation separately, arising from evidence disclosed to the inquest, that on April 3 2009 some officers were aware of physical contact between police and Ian Tomlinson, but that this was not passed on to the family, coroner or IPCC.

Deborah Glass, IPCC commissioner, said: “It is entirely understandable that the Tomlinson family, having learned of key evidence about the circumstances of Ian Tomlinson’s death from the media rather than the police or the IPCC, should feel angry and aggrieved, and believe that the police had tried to cover it up.

“There is no doubt of the crucial role played by the media in obtaining evidence that has proved to be vital to the IPCC in its investigation into Mr Tomlinson`s death.

“However, it is also the case that those officially charged with investigating the death of Mr Tomlinson, whether City of London Police or the IPCC, obtained that crucial evidence only after the media had published it.

“While it does not make the circumstances of Mr Tomlinson’s death any less disturbing, our investigation found no evidence that any press officer, or any police officer responsible for agreeing media lines, set out to mislead anyone. Nor have we seen any evidence that the police attempted to cover up the circumstances of Mr Tomlinson’s death.”

The IPCC has also published two further investigation reports into complaints from the Tomlinson family.

One looked in detail at the events of April 1, 2009, and the subsequent media handling following a complaint by the family. The investigation found no evidence that anyone involved in the police media handling connected to this incident set out to deliberately mislead.

The other investigation was in relation to complaints made by the Tomlinson family after an acting detective inspector briefed a pathologist saying Mr Tomlinson fell in front of a police van, which was found to be inaccurate following video footage released in the media.

However, it found no evidence to suggest that the officer intentionally gave out incorrect information but only did do so based on what was the genuinely held view at the time, but that he should have ensured he relayed factual information rather than his interpretation of the facts.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) welcomed the IPCC report which dismissed a number of allegations made in relation to the force’s response to the incident.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Complaints about the conduct of MPS officers around Royal Exchange Buildings and alleged failures in first aid were not upheld and the report rightly acknowledges that broader lessons following G20 have been addressed by the MPS.

“The IPCC has also found today (May 9) that there was no evidence any MPS police or press officer attempted to mislead.

“Since the incident there have been claims that the MPS denied there was prior police contact with Mr Tomlinson. The report finds there is no evidence of this.

“The report concerning information supplied to the pathologists by an MPS officer found that although incorrect information was given this was an honestly held belief and there was no evidence of intent to mislead and no lasting damage to the investigation.”

The 47-year-old newspaper vendor was struck on the thigh and pushed to the ground by MPS officer PC Simon Harwood on April 1, 2009, at the G20 demonstrations during a police operation to clear protestors from a pedestrian area.

Mr Tomlinson fell over after the push. He was helped to his feet by member