THREE YEARS AFTER HORROR Sheku death case cop paid £75k.. just to stay at home
Family slam uncertainty over probe
Craig McDonald A police officer at the centre of the Sheku Bayoh custody death probe – who was branded a racist by a member of his own family – has been on paid leave for almost three years.
PC Alan Paton, 44, has been paid about £75,000 to remain at home while the inquiry into the tragedy continues.
A second off icer involved in the investigation, PC Nicole Short, is also being paid while off duty since Sheku’s death in 2015. Sheku’s family and politicians say it is “ridiculous” that the pair have remained on the payroll. His relatives are planning a civil court action against the off icers involved and Police Scotland.
A repor t by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner on Sheku’s death was filed with prosecutors more than a year ago.
But the Crown Off ice have still to decide whether they’ll proceed with charges.
Sheku, 31, died af ter being restrained by nine officers responding to reports of a man carrying the knife in the street in Kirkcaldy.
Off icers used CS spray, pepper spray and batons, after it was claimed Sheku struck Short.rt. Dad-of-two Sheku lost consciousnessness and died in hospital short ly afterwards.
Sheku ’s sister Kadi Johnson said: “It’s absolutely ridiculous, thatt police officers arere being paid to be off all this time.
“It’s appalling. We are still hurting and have no idea whenhen things will move on.”
Labour’s Justicestice Spokesman Danielaniel Johnson said: “The length of the delayelay in get t ing answersers isis incredibly disappointingpointing – for the police, the officers and most of all the family of Sheku.”
Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie added: “It’s unfair that the process is taking so long to get any kind of resolution.
“We need to know what happened in oorder that pepeople can achieve jujustice and ththat we can move oon from this terrible episode.” A procurator fiscal’s rreport gave Sheku’s cause of death as “sudden death in a man intoxicated by MDMA ( Ecstasy) and alpha- Pyrrolidin opentiophenone (the drug Flakka) whilst being restrained”. His family and partner Collette Bell, mother of Sheku’s son Isaac, have criticised the inquiry into his death and the length of time it has taken to decide if charges will be brought.
Following Sheku’s death, members of Paton’s family contacted the victim’s relatives to claim the PC had racist views. They also alleged the officer beat up his mum and dad in 2005.
Paton’s brother-in-law Barry Swan claimed in 2015 that the constable declared himself racist and boasted: “I’m a total racist, I hate all blacks”.
Short, 31, posted a selfie with Celtic captain Scott Brown outside Celtic Park while she was signed off sick following the death.
Sheku was found to have more than 20 facial cuts and bruises, petechial haemorrhages – a symptom of a sphyxiation – in his eyes, a fractured rib and grazing on his chest.
The Bayoh family’s solicitor Aamer Anwar said: “Sheku’s fami ly and Collette are left, to date, with no costs for legal representation and so on.
“We had a PIRC inquiry which the family said they had no faith in. It delayed the process to the point that it is almost three long years since Sheku Bayoh died.
“Where’s the justice, accountability and transparency in this?”
A PIRC spokesman added last week: “As this remains a l ive inquiry, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Paton’s solicitor Paul Kavanagh said: “PC Paton is desperate for a conclusion of the investigation to prove that he has done nothing wrong.
“He also thinks it’s unfair that it’s taken nearly three years and there’s still no conclusion.”
A Crown Office spokesman said: “The families are being kept informed.”