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.
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