19 February 1998 Edition

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Irish deaths in Britain

THE Irish in Britain Representation Group (IBRG) have welcomed a decision by the British Crown Prosecution Service to charge three British policemen with the unlawful killing of Richard O'Brien in the early hours of 4 April 1994.

Mr O'Brien died after he was arrested and beaten by police officers who were called to a minor disturbance at the English Martyrs Catholic Club in Walworth, London; an incident in which Mr O'Brien was not involved.

According to the IBRG Mr O'Brien was waiting outside for his wife Alison and two sons when,''he was arrested and brutally assaulted by police officers''. O'Brien was also subjected to anti-Irish racist abuse. In the cause of the assault O'Brien died. His dead body was treated with ``callous disregard''. With her husband already dead, Mrs O'Brien, and one son, were also arrested and assaulted.

Despite an inquest in November 1995 returning a verdict of unlawful killing, no action was taken against any of the police officers involved in the incident. It took a High Court challenge by the family, supported by Southwark IBRG and a visit from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to move the case forward.

Now according to a spokesperson for IBRG the three police men involved in the incident will appear in court on 8 April to face manslaughter charges.

A report on deaths in custody carried out by a Lambeth community police consultative group, covering the 1986-95 period in the Metropolitan police district, found that 7 of the 28 cases listed were Irish. Rose McGee, Michael O'Callaghan, Patrick Quinn, Robert Connolly, Joseph Ward, Richard O'Brien and Gary Gaffney all died after arrest.

These tragedies raise the fundamental question about how Irish people are treated by the police in Britain. The IBRG is calling for action on all deaths in police custody and called for the Irish government to be notified about all Irish deaths in police custody and British jails.

An Phoblacht
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