Police cleared of 2008 death

A GROUP of police officers suspended for years after being accused of misconduct over the death of a musician in custody a decade ago were finally cleared yesterday.

In a case likely to have cost taxpayers millions, five police officers waited ten years to learn their fate after being suspended on full pay while a succession of inquiries looked into the death of 40-yearold Sean Rigg.

The paranoid schizophrenic died after being arrested and detained in Brixton, south London, on August 21 2008.

PCs Andrew Birks, Richard Glasson, Matthew Forward and Mark Harratt and Sergeant Paul White were accused of a string of failings. Yesterday a Metropolitan Police disciplinary panel dismissed all of the allegations against the officers including claims of a cover-up.

Mr Rigg’s sister, Marcia Rigg-Samuel, vowed to fight the panel’s decision.