Roger Sylvester Justice Campaign Statement 11^th January 2000

One year after Roger was wrongly detained by police officers whilst on his own doorstep, the current legal position is as follows: -

Essex police have completed their investigation into Roger’s death and the family’s complaints about the conduct of the police officers concerned.

The PCA has certified that it is happy that the investigation was thorough, so the papers were formally sent to the CPS in October. 

A specialist unit with in the CPS will decide it there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Essex police to charge any Met police officer with any criminal offence. This is called ‘advice’ and is done with the involvement of an outside barrister, following last year’s Butler Report. The CPS advice to Essex police is expected towards the end of January or early February 2000.

Disclosure of documents by Essex has been very limited, but the family’s pathologist, Dr Carey, has finally been allowed access to the expert reports commissioned by Essex police.

Mr Carey is due to supply his supplementary report to the family, to pass to the CPS, by the third week of January.

The St Ann’s Mental Health Trust internal review is complete. It has not been disclosed to anyone.

If there are no prosecutions, the inquest will be held on 5th June 2000.

We made a complaint against Dr Patel to the General Medical Council (GMC) who was the original pathologist acting for H.M Coroner.  This complaint is under active investigation by the GMC.

One year on we are still no closer to the truth.  So today we are launching an appeal for witness’s, that may have seen Roger on that fatal night of 11^th January 1999 between 9:10 p.m. and 9:47 p.m. 

We have produced a leaflet, which will be distributed in the immediate vicinity of Summerhill Road Tottenham, over the course of the next week.