London Irish
Well-known member
looney said:
True - stats don't convey the horror of racial crimes - only the lives of individuals do that. Try this one:
http://www.irr.org.uk/2004/april/ha000018.html
Michael Abatan writes:
My brother Jay Abatan was murdered in a racist attack over six years ago and his murderers are still at large. The police have still not learnt from the shortcomings of the investigation into the death of Stephen Lawrence. I want to see 2005 as being the year when the police deliver justice for Jay and his family. Part of this must be a full addressing of the institutional racism that is still manifest in the police force and the adoption of all the Lawrence Inquiry recommendations.
The investigation into the murder of my brother was doomed from the start. Sussex police were friendly to the suspects and even prior to the attack the suspects were drinking with Sussex Police officers. Jay’s family believe that this had an adverse effect on the initial investigation.
A Sussex police officer said that Jay’s attack was not a racist incident. The attack was described as a ‘tragic accident’. An internal police memo said that the suspects were professional and respectable. After Jay’s death the number of police officers investigating his attack was reduced from 8 to 6 – less than similar cases.
The head of CID met with the officer responsible for setting up major incident rooms. This officer fully expected a major incident room to be set up for Jay and the use of the Holmes computer system. He was told that due to budget restrictions this would not happen in Jay’s case. At that time all other homicides had major incident rooms and were on the Holmes computer system. Why did Jay not get these vital resources?
After the case failed we were told by Nigel Yeo (Assistant Chief Constable) that money was not an issue and more resources were available if the investigation needed them. We now know all those involved in the investigation were told to save money on Jay’s case. The investigation team was told to be economic. No overtime was allowed and they should carry out enquiries in their ‘downtime’. A number of senior Sussex Police officers have left Sussex Police in order to escape disciplinary tribunals.
What happened to my brother could happen to any one of you out there today. It is clear to me that black families will continue to struggle to get justice. The authorities have not learnt the lessons of the Stephen Lawrence enquiry.
Please support Jay’s family in trying to bring Sussex Police to account for their failings. Write to your MP to ask for pressure be put on Sussex Police to release the Avon and Somerset report. Sign the petition at The National Assembly Against Racism website. Visit Jay’s website at www.justiceforjay.co.uk to find out more information. Contact The National Assembly Against Racism to help raise money to bring legal action against the men who killed Jay. The police should be held accountable for their failings. I need your support to bring them accountable for their failings in Jay’s case. Jay deserves justice.
Don’t be complacent. Racism is alive and well.
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