3D reconstruction will show events leading up to tragedy

LASER scans and social media footage will be used to create an interactive 3D scene to reconstruct the moments that led up to Sheku Bayoh’s death.

The software will show a bird’s eye view of Hayfield Road in Kirkcaldy, where Mr Bayoh was restrained by police on the night of May 3, 2015.

As well as different angles and perspectives, the reconstruction will allow cars and people to be placed into the scene. It has been developed by Advanced Laser Imaging (ALI) to assist with the hearing and will allow witnesses to identify exactly where they were.

The scene is built up from two laser scans, one from 2015 and one from late 2021, along with Snapchat footage, CCTV, mobile phone footage and other evidence. The inquiry’s senior counsel Angela Grahame, QC, discussed the 3D scene in her opening statement yesterday.

She said: ‘This will assist as we listen to the eye-witness evidence of witnesses and it may allow us to explore the versions given and identify where differences arise and why.

‘During the hearing certain witnesses will be asked to identify their location, and those of other individuals, within the 3D interactive scene. ALI will attend these sessions and place the relevant persons within the interactive 3D scene based on the evidence they give.’

Miss Grahame said stills from the 3D scene ‘will show Mr Bayoh’s orientation on Hayfield Road after he had been brought to the ground’.