CPS drags its feet on prosecution of riot police for Ian Tomlinson killing

Four months after we all saw the video of the riot policeman assaulting Ian Tomlinson at the anti-G20 demos in London the Independent Police Complaints Commission informs the great British public that it has finished its inquiry but still doesn't know if there will be any prosecutions, leaving the ball marooned in the court of the Crown Prosecution Service.

What are they waiting for? Or is bringing the police to account for their crimes, for a change, too much to ask of the British justice system?

In truth the authorities have shown themselves to be more than happy to clampdown on people exercising their right to peacefully protest on issues such as Israel's barbarity in Gaza to workers occupying their factories to stop closures and job losses.

See report from today's Guardian below:

Prosecutors are considering whether to charge the Metropolitan police officer who attacked Ian Tomlinson at the G20 demonstration moments before the newspaper vendor collapsed and died, the police watchdog said today.

Announcing that it had completed its four-month investigation into Tomlinson's death, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it had handed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which would now decide whether the officer should be charged.

In a statement, the commission said its investigation had been "one of the largest ever undertaken by the IPCC and it has been the subject of huge public scrutiny". More than 40 IPCC investigators and other members of staff from all five regional offices were involved in the case, it said.

"We have had a remarkable response from the public and I would like to thank those people who have contacted us for all their help," said Deborah Glass, the IPCC commissioner for London.

In a statement, Tomlinson's widow, Julia, said: "It has been a very difficult four months since Ian died and it is a relief to see some progress. The last information that the coroner put out was Dr Cary's view that Ian died from internal bleeding.

"Video footage made it clear to us, and everyone else, that Ian was the victim of an unprovoked assault by a police officer. If there is going to be any justice then it must be left for a jury to decide if the police officer is guilty of killing Ian. I hope the CPS will get the case in front of a jury as soon as possible. We would like to thank everyone who came forward as witnesses."

more at the Guardian

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