‘I keep hoping for justice...’
MUM’S DEVASTATION AS CPS CONFIRMS IT WILL NOT PROSECUTE TEEN OVER HER SON’S DEATH
THE mother of a 13-year-old boy who died after he was pushed into a river during a “foolish prank” has criticised the decision not to prosecute the teenager responsible.
Christopher Kapessa was pushed into the River Cynon in Fernhill by a 14-year-old boy as he played with friends in July last year.
South Wales Police had passed a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service but the CPS said there was no “public interest” to bring a manslaughter case against the boy despite “evidence to support a prosecution”.
This decision has now been confirmed in a review carried out by the CPS after Christopher’s family appealed against the original decision.
Christopher’s mother Alina Joseph, from the Cynon Valley, said: “Every breath I take is a breath without my child, constantly inflicting emotional turmoil and distress till this very day.
“The decision taken by the CPS not to prosecute those responsible for the death of my son goes against all the principles of equality and justice and inequality that many campaigners have fought to eradicate for many years.
“Sadly, my son Christopher has also fallen victim to the collective failures from organisations that are supposed to provide a professional service. When will the inequalities in justices end?
“I also ask, if the tables would be reversed, would we have had the same outcome?
“I keep hoping for justice, but it seems that I have to fight for it at every given step and turn.”
Jenny Hopkins, who oversees the CPS appeals and review unit, said: “The evidence showed that Christopher was pushed into the river as a foolish prank, with nothing to suggest that the suspect intended to harm him, although that was the awful consequence.
“Factors we took into consideration when reaching our decision included the young age of the suspect, who was 14-and-a-half at the time, his lack of a criminal record, and otherwise good character.
“Significant weight must be attached to the age of a suspect if they are a child or young person under 18.
“In that context, we also considered the impact on his future prospects and that the main aim of the youth justice system is to prevent offending.
“We recognise our decision will be upsetting for the family who may feel the suspect’s life has been prioritised over Christopher’s.”
Christopher’s family has accused the CPS and South Wales Police of institutional racism.
The CPS said there “was nothing in any of the statements of the young people which suggested any racial issues or that this was a hate crime”.
Hilary Brown, the family’s lawyer, said they were “examining all our legal options”.
“The actions of South Wales Police in the days following the tragic death of Christopher and the decision of the CPS not to hold anyone to account for the tragic loss of a young black boy’s life sends a message that his life did not matter,” she said.
“Christopher did not lose his life as a result of an accident by his own actions.
“Christopher was pushed to his death by someone and the criminal justice system in the UK should seek to ensure that justice is delivered for Christopher and his family.”
Suresh Grover, director of The Monitoring Group which is helping Christopher’s family, said: “This case has all the hallmarks of the Stephen Lawrence case in the 1990s, a family that we supported at that time.
“Almost 26 years later, another black family is expected to tolerate the same litany of failures and suffer the same ordeal.
“Christopher’s life matters to us as do all other black lives, we simply won’t give up until we get justice.”
Christopher’s family also made a complaint to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, about how South Wales Police managed the investigation and that inquiry is ongoing.
A South Wales Police spokesman said the force was “committed to implementing any opportunities for learning”.