No charges over Alder body mix-up

There will not be any prosecutions over a mix-up in bodies at a Hull mortuary, including that of Christopher Alder, a man whose death in custody in 1998 led to officers being charged with manslaughter.

Mr Alder was thought to have been buried in 2000 but his body was discovered in the mortuary in November 2011, leading to the exhumation of 77-year-old Grace Kamara from his grave in 2012.

At the conclusion of its investigation, South Yorkshire Police issued a statement last week saying a decision has been taken by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute any of the mortuary staff for either misconduct in a public office or the prevention of the lawful burial of a body.

Detective Superintendent Richard Fewkes, who led the investigation, said: “The investigation was detailed in the extreme and every available piece of evidence was presented to the CPS, which has conducted a very thorough examination of the case.

“While the investigation will not lead to a criminal prosecution, I am now in a position to explain to the families of Christopher Alder and Grace Kamara the likely circumstances that may have led to these very tragic events.

“It is also important that the relevant agencies involved are made aware of the full circumstances so that lessons can be learned and events of this kind are prevented in future.”

An inquest in 2000 returned a verdict of unlawful killing and five officers were subsequently charged with the manslaughter of Mr Alder, although all were acquitted at trial. A disciplinary process concluded the officers did not have a case to answer although, following pressure to review the case, the then Independent Police Complaints Commission chairman, Nick Hardwick, said the officers present when Alder died were guilty of the “most serious neglect of duty” amounting to “unwitting racism”.