Black Deaths in Custody
Deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody since 1978. We list below those deaths of black and minority ethnic individuals which have taken place in prison, police or hospital custody and which have given rise to concern because of unexplained or mysterious circumstances surrounding those deaths and / or allegations of maltreatment, dereliction of duty or brutality.
Each entry in this list contains the following details: Name, Age, Date of death, Category code , Circumstances surrounding death, Inquest verdict. Catgeory codes: Po: Police; Pr: Prisons, Young Offenders Institutes, Remand Centres; Ps: Psychiatric Hospitals.
Michael Ferreira, 19, 10/12/78, Po, Died in Stoke Newington police station after being stabbed in a racist attack, Inquest verdict unknown
S. Singh Grewal, 40, 02/08/79, Po, Died in Southall police station, Inquest verdict unknown
Henry Floyd, 26, 23/08/79, Po, Found hanged in cell of West End Central police station, Suicide
John Eshiett, 26, 24/10/79, Pr, Died in Brixton prison while awaiting trial, Inquest verdict unknown
Richard Campbell, 19, 31/03/80, Pr, Died of de-hydration after being force fed and large quantities of drugs in Ashford remand centre, Death by self neglect because of inadequate medical facilities
Leroy Gordon, 20, August 80, Po, Died in Pershore police station after crowd suspecting him of robbery-sat on him, Asphyxiation due to compression of the neck
Winston Rose, 27, 13/07/81, Po, Died in police van after being restrained by police officers taking him to psychiatric hospital, Unlawful killing at the hands of the police
Shohik Meah, 43, 06/11/81, Po, Died in Thornhill Road police station - Birmingham, Inquest verdict unknown
Paul Worrell, 21, 12/01/82, Pr, A suicide risk; was found hanged in Brixton prison after obtaining the materials to kill himself, Open verdict
Changa Singh, 60, 25/03/82, Po, Died of alcoholic poisoning in Cathay Park police station, Misadventure
Franklyn Lee, 20, September 1982, Po, According to the police died of injuries sustained during a burglary, Inquest verdict unknown
Simeon Collins, 17, 10/12/82, Po, Died of acute injuries to liver and spleen day after being arrested by City Road police, Accidental death
Colin Roach, Age unknown, 12/01/83, Po, Died of gunshot wound sustained while he was in Stoke Newington police station, Suicide
James Ruddock, 44, 14/02/83, Po, Died after being denied treatment for diabetes and sickle cell for 12 hours in Kensington police station, Natural causes attributed to self neglect
Nicholas Ofusu, 31, 06/05/83, Po, Death by misadventure
Mathew Paul, 19, 06/05/83, Po, Found hanged in Leman Street police station, Suicide due to lack of care
Leslie George Singh, Age unknown, 06/12/83, Pr, Fell from 4th floor of Hammersmith hospital after being transferred from Wormwood Scrubs, Inquest verdict unknown
Michael Dean Martin, Age unknown, 06/07/84, ?, ?, Accidental death aggravated by lack of care
Curtis Marsh, 27, 21/10/84, Pr, A suicide risk who hanged himself inside Brixton prison, Suicide
Chittaranjan Joshi, Age unknown, 02/01/85, Pr, Found hanged in his cell while on remand in Pentonville, Suicide
Harold Roberts, Age unknown, 11/03/85, Ps, Suicide
James Hall, Age unknown, 30/03/85, Po, Inquest verdict unknown
John Mikkelson, 34, 15/07/85, Po, Unlawful killing; after police appeal verdict changed to death by misadventure
Cynthia Jarrett, Age unknown, 06/10/85, Po, Accidental death
Keith Hicks, 34, 1986, Pr, A schizophrenic epileptic who died in Brixton prison, Misadventure
Anthony Lloyd Powell, 18, February 1986, Ps, A schizophrenic, died after being given an injection of modecate, Open verdict
Stephen Bogle, 27, 12/08/86, Po, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care
Donald Chambers, 29, 11/09/86, Ps, Death by misadventure
Anwar Kureshi, Age unknown, 06/10/86, Pr, An obvious suicide risk - managed to hang himself in Brixton prison while on remand, Suicide
Caiphas Lemard, Age unknown, 08/10/86, Po, Non-dependent drug abuse aggravated by lack of care
Akhtar Moghul, 47, 27/01/87, Pr, Died in Holloway prison while on remand - spoke no English and was allegedly denied medical treatment for a heart condition, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care
Clinton McCurbin, Age unknown, 20/02/87, Po, Death by misadventure
Ahmed Katangole, 24, 23/03/87, Pr, A suicide risk was found hanged in his cell at Pentonville, Suicide aggravated by official indifference and lack of care
Jasbir Singh Rai, 32, 23/04/87, Pr, Found hanged in Wakefield prison, Inquest verdict unknown
Nenneh Jalloh, Age unknown, 24/04/87, Po, Death by misadventure
Mohammed Parkit, 50, 01/05/87, Po, Open verdict
Anachu Osita, 28, 18/05/87, Pr, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care
Tunay Hassan, 25, 26/06/87, Po, Drug dependency aggravated by lack of care
John Ryan, 24, July 1987, Pr, Died in Winson Green hospital, 3 days after being admitted suffering from dehydration, had been seen drinking his own urine, Death by lack of care
Terence Brown, 35, August 1987, Ps, Open verdict
Anthony Mahony, 24, 19/08/87, Pr, Died almost naked in a strip cell in Brixton prison; had a history of mental illness, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care
Mark Ventour, Age unknown, 24/09/87, Po, Asphyxia caused by chewing gum in throat
Joseph Palombella, 40, October 1987, Po, Inquest verdict unknown
Femi Adelaja, 36, February 19, Pr, Died of a heart condition in a cell at Old Bailey; was denied treatment for sarcoidosis of the heart, Inquest verdict unknown
Samuel Carew, 22, 05/02/88, Pr, Killed himself in Brixton prison's hospital wing, Suicide
Armando Belonia, Age unknown, 16/03/88, Pr, Died of pneumonia in locked hospital wing of Wandsworth prison, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care
Bahader Singh, 26, 13/05/88, Pr, Died in India hours after leaving Barlinnie jail where he had suffered physical and racial abuse, Inquest verdict unknown
Oakley Ramsey, 25, June 1988, Po, Inquest verdict unknown
Kelroy Briscoe, 32, 20/06/88, Pr, Hanged himself in Wormwood Scrubs, Inquest verdict unknown
Joseph Watts, 30, 23/08/88, Ps, Accidental death
Derek Buchanan, 19, 04/09/88, Po, Drowning
Sajjan Atwal, 36, 04/09/88, Pr, Hanged himself in Winson Green; was a suicide risk and had made other attempts on his life, Lack of care - verdict was quashed and a new verdict recorded of suicide due to lack of care
Martin Richmond, 30, 04/12/88, Pr, Found hanged in Brixton prison, Open verdict
Wayne Tombison, Age unknown, December 88, Pr, Found hanged in Wandsworth prison, Inquest verdict unknown
David 'Duke' Daley, 44, February 1989, Po, Open verdict
Nicholas Bramble, 17, March 1989, Po, Accidental death
Vincent Graham, 40, July 1989, Po, Inquest verdict unknown
Jamie Stewart, 22, 02/07/89, Po, Death by misadventure due to excessive overdose of cocaine
Edwin Carr, 39, 12/07/89, Po, Inquest verdict unknown
Mr Romany, Age unknown, October 1989, Pr, Found dead in Chanings Wood prison; other prisoners said his screaming for a day and a night had been ignored, Inquest verdict unknown
Siho Iyugiven, 27, 05/10/89, Pr, Kurdish asylum seeker set himself alight in Harmondsworth detention centre after being refused asylum, Misadventure
Germain Alexander, Age unknown, 06/12/89, Pr, Died after being removed to strip cell in Brixton; had bruising all over his body, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care
Kimpua Nsimba, 24, 15/06/90, Pr, Zairean asylum-seeker found hanged in Harmondsworth detention centre; no-one had spoken to him in over 4 days, Suicide
Oliver Pryce, 30, 24/07/90, Po, Unlawful killing
Aslam Khan, 29, 12/10/90, Pr, Hanged himself while on remand in Brixton, Inquest verdict unknown
Edwin Robinson, 28, 30/11/90, Pr, A suicide risk with a psychotic illness hanged himself in Brixton prison, Killed himself because of lack of care
Delroy McKnight, 29, 19/01/91, Pr, Cut his own throat with glass from cell window and bled to death in Wandsworth prison, Killed himself while the balance of his mind was disturbed and death was contributed to by lack of care
Vandana Patel, 21, 29/04/91, Po, Died after being stabbed in DVU in Stoke Newington police station, Inquest verdict unknown
Kwaku Ohene, 30, 13/06/91, Pr, Had mental problems and committed suicide in hospital wing of Swaleside, Death aggravated by lack of care
Ian Gordon, 24, 12/08/91, Po, Psychiatric patient shot dead by Telford police, Lawful killing
Orville Blackwood, 31, 28/08/91, Ps, Died after being given injection of 'calming' drugs in secure unit at Broadmoor, Accidental death; on appeal to High Court by Orville's family, verdict quashed and a verdict of accidental death recorded again
Omasase Lumumba, 32, 08/10/91, Pr, Died of a 'heart attack' while being 'controlled and restrained' by 6 guards in Pentonville, Unlawfully killed using improper methods and excessive force in the process of control and restraint
Arthur Allison, 50, 1992, Po, Died four days after being arrested by Leicester police, Inquest verdict unknown
Melita Crawford, 24, 03/01/92, Pr, Had mental problems and was found dead while on remand at Risley, Misadventure
Mark Fletcher, 21, 08/01/92, Ps, Detained under the Mental Health act and died in All Saints psychiatric hospital after being given an injection in his spine, Cardiac arrest
Munir Yusef Mojothi, 26, June 1992, Ps, Died of overdose in Clifton hospital after being given 2 injections of droperidol, Lack of care
Jerome Scott, 27, 23/06/92, Ps, Collapsed and died on the way to hospital in a police van after being given two injections, Therapeutic misadventure
Errol Commock, 24, 03/07/92, Pr, A known suicide risk committed suicide in hospital wing of Winson Green, Suicide
James Segawa, 28, 28/08/92, Pr, HIV+ asylum-seeker died in Belmarsh after officials refused to believe he was ill, Inquest verdict unknown
Ian Francis, 28, 05/09/92, Pr, Died of blood poisoning twelve days after injuring himself at Send prison, Death by natural causes
Leon Patterson, 32, 21/11/92, Po, Died while on remand at Stockport police station, Unlawful killing verdict was overturned in 1994 and changed to 'Misadventure to which neglect contributed'
Nadeem Younus, 21, 04/12/92, Pr, Died of an overdose in little Hay prison after obtaining paracetamol tablets from the hospital, Open verdict
Randhir Showpal, 43, 19/12/92, Po, Died in Norbury police station after being detained under the Mental Health Act, Misadventure
Warren Jones, 26, 01/01/93, Pr, Found hanged in Leicester prison, Suicide
Adejare Akinbiyi, 30, 10/03/93, Pr, Died after suffering a succession of severe asthma attacks in Belmarsh, Accidental death brought about by lack of care
Turan Pekoz, 43, 16/03/93, Pr, Died after setting himself alight in Quest House immigration centre (Croydon), Misadventure
Joy Gardner, 40, 01/08/93, Po, Died after being arrested by 'specialist' officers from the Extradition Unit of the Met; was gagged with 13 feet of tape, Inquest adjourned till trial of officers involved, officers later acquitted
Rupert Marshall, 29, 30/01/94, Ps, Died in Horton psychiatric hospital after being injected with an anti-psychotic drug, Inquest verdict unknown
Kwanele Siziba, 27, 27/04/94, Po, Fell 150 feet to her death, attempting to flee what she believed were immigration officials, Misadventure
Carl Owens, 22, 31/05/94, Pr, Died while on remand of a methadone OD in segregation unit of Brixton prison, Misadventure
O. Akinbobola, 24, 26/06/94, Pr, Found hanged in cell at Woodhill prison; had protested innocence and had gone on hunger strike, Suicide
Mark Harris, 31, 10/07/94, Po, Found hanged after arrested by Bristol police officers, Open verdict
Jonathan Weekes, Age unknown, 10/08/94, Ps, Died in Chase Farm hospital, Natural causes - pneumonia
Shkander Singh, 37, 19/09/94, Po, Died in Stewart Street police station (Glasgow); Had been heard shouting and crying in cell but was ignored, Heart Failure
Norman Manning, 26, 29/09/94, Pr, Stabbed to death by inmates in Long Lartin prison in November 1997, 41-year-old Frederick Low was convicted of Norman's murder
Joseph Nnalue, 31, 23/10/94, Po, Died after falling from balcony in flat in Stockwell - police and immigration officials wee calling at his flat at the time, Accidental death
Tyrone Wilson, 34, 18/11/94, Po, Died 18 days after police were called to his flat in Ipswich, Inquest verdict unknown
Oluwashiji Lapite, 34, 16/12/94, Po, Died during a struggle with police officers from Stoke Newington police station, Unlawful Killing. In June 1998 the CPS reaffirmed its decision not to prosecute the officers involved.
Mark Holness, 28, 14/01/95, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Whitemoor prison, Inquest verdict unknown
Lungile Simelane, 27, 06/05/95, Pr, Found hanged in her cell at Holloway prison, Inquest verdict unknown
Brian Douglas, 33, 08/05/95, Po, Died 8 days after being restrained with new batons by Clapham police officers, Misadventure
Dajin George, 26, 05/06/95, Ps, A schizophrenic died after falling 15 floors from a flat in Leyton, was meant to be under supervision by hospital staff, Inquest verdict unknown
Mohammed Massaquoi, 22, August 1995, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Highdown prison, Inquest verdict unknown
Muttavel Vasanthan, 25, 25/08/95, Pr, Sri Lankan asylum seeker found hanged in his cell at Norwich prison, Inquest verdict unknown
Peter Williams, 19, 31/08/95, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Aylesbury YOI, Inquest verdict unknown
Raja Khan, 24, 05/10/95, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Mount prison, Inquest verdict unknown
Denis Stevens, 29, 18/10/95, Pr, Found dead in punishment block of Dartmoor prison; had been restrained in a body belt for 24 hours, Accidental death - December 1997, despite appeal to Court of appeal by family who wanted verdict of unlawful killing, coroner would not allow this, family boycotted resumed inquest
Brian Augustine, Age unknown, 30/10/95, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Pentonville prison, Inquest verdict unknown
Kenneth Severin, 25, 26/11/95, Pr, Found dead in his cell at Bellmarsh after being restrained face down by 8 guards, Open verdict
Wayne Douglas, 25, 05/12/95, Po, Died in Brixton police station, Accidental death
Alton Manning, 33, 09/12/95, Pr, Died after being forcibly restrained by 8 guards at Blakenhurst (private) prison, Unlawful killing. In March 1999 the CPS decided not to prosecute the officers involved in his death, saying that there was no realistic prospect of obtaining a conviction
Newton White, 33, January 1996, Ps, Drowned in bath at Denis Hill Unit of Maudesley hospital, Open verdict
Noorjahan Begum, 35, 15/03/96, Po, Died after falling from balcony of flat where she was living; two immigration officials were calling at the flat at the time, Accidental death
Ibrahima Sey, 29, 16/03/96, Po, Died after being sprayed (while handcuffed) with CS spray in Ilford police station, Unlawful killing. In October 1998 the CPS decided that thare was not enough evidence to prosecute the officers involved in his death.
Ziya Bitirim, 47, April 96, Po, Died after collapsing and vomiting during his arrest, Accidental death
Donovan Williams, 36, April 96, Po, Died after collapsing in his cell during a search in Peckham police station, Accidental death
Dominic Otoo, 19, 22/05/96, Pr, Found dead in Hindley remand centre, Natural Causes
Ahmed El Gammal, 33, 13/8/96, Po, Died after struggling with police from Leyton police station, Inquest verdict unknown
Fred Tokunpor Akiyemi, 46, 4/10/96, Po, Died after falling from 5th floor of flat; Peckham police were calling at his flat at the time, Inquest verdict unknown
Veron Cowan, 32, October/November 1996, Ps, Died in secure unit of Blackberry Hill hospital, Natural Causes
George Bosie Davies, 36, 7/10/96, Po, Died in Marylebone police station after being arrested on suspicion of being drunk, Inquest verdict unknown
Oscar Okoye, 53, 11/11/96, Po, Died 5 months after being arrested by Streatham police on suspicion of being drunk, Natural causes
Herbert Gabbidon, 68, 10/01/97, Po, Died while in the custody of Walsall police who were deporting him back to Jamaica, Inquest verdict unknown
Peter Austin, 30, 30/01/97, Po, Found hanged in Brentford magistrates court, Lack of care contributed to accidental death
Ronnie Clarke, 38, 06/03/97, Pr, Found unconscious in cell at Wellingborough; taken to Kettering hospital where he died without regaining consciousness, Inquest verdict unknown
Abel Mukuna, 39, 12/03/97, Pr, Died in Greenwich hospital five days after being admitted from Belmarsh, Inquest verdict unknown
Marlon Downes, 20, 23/03/97, Po, Found hanged in cell of Harlesden police station, Open verdict
Peter San Pedro, 25, 3/04/97, Po, Died after walking into path of lorry hours after being arrested and sprayed with CS spray, Open verdict (December 98)
Lytton Shannon, 36, 1/05/97, Po, Collapsed and died after being arrested by Wolverhampton police, Inquest verdict unknown
Jason Sebastian, 23, 19/09/97, Pr, Found hanged in Belmarsh following 4 day segregation as punishment, Open verdict
Elliott Mitchell, 20, 26/02/98, Pr, Found hanged in Reading remand centre, Inquest verdict unknown
Christopher Alder, 37, 1/04/98, Po, Died after being arrested by Hull police; dragged to the station; placed on floor face down and handcuffed. In June 2002 a judge ordered the jury to clear 5 police officers charged with manslaughter and misconduct in public office charges because of conflicting evidence on how he died, Unanimous unlawful killing verdict
David Bennett, 38, 31/10/98, Ps, Died after being restrained face down for over 20 minutes by at least three nurses at the Norvic Clinic (Norwich), Accidental death aggravated by neglect; coroner made six recommendations
Patrick Louis, Age unknown, 2/11/98, Po, Died in the custody of Plumstead police who arrested him for being drunk and incapable, Inquest verdict unknown
Roger Sylvester, 30, 18/01/99, Po, Died 7 days after being restrained by police in Tottenham, Inquest verdict unknown
Robert Allotey, 37, 24/01/99, Po, Collapsed and died after being arrested by Wolverhampton police, Inquest verdict unknown
Paul Jemmott, Age unknown, 3/05/99, Pr, Attempted suicide by hanging at Aylesbury YOI and died five days later in hospital, Inquest verdict unknown
Leon Marshall, Age unknown, 15/07/99, Po, Died in hospital two days after being arrested for drugs related offences; officers were aware he had swallowed drugs but failed to take him to hospital, Accidental death
Spencer Weston, 21, 8/99, Po, Died after being hit by a car during a police chase. Spencer was involved in a fight in Leicester city centre between black and white youths and suffered head injuries from a racist attack. Chased by police wanting to make an arrest, he received fatal injuries after falling in the path of a passing car. The inquest into his death in May 2003 recorded a narrative verdict that 'Spencer James Weston received fatal multiple injuries when he was hit by a motor car. At the time of the road traffic collision the deceased had evidence of MDMA (Ecstasy) at a concentration of 66 milligrams per litre and quite high levels of alcohol in his blood. He had also been seen a few minutes prior to the collision to run from the scene of a public order disturbance, with a head injury of unknown severity. The head injury, together with the alcohol and ecstasy, may have impaired his judgement.'
Sarah Thomas (aka Lai Hong Cheng), 34, 6/08/99, Po, Died in hospital two days after collapsing in Stoke Newington police station, Inquest verdict unknown
Ertan Uzan, 25, 14/12/99, Pr, Found hanged in his cell in Brixton prison, Inquest verdict unknown
Mr. Benmerabet, 42, 3/1/00, Po, Algerian Mr. Benmerabet collapsed outside the Atomics nightclub in Kent; Kent police were called to assist the ambulance service but deny restraint was used, Inquest verdict unknown
Asif Dad, 26, 16/1/00, Po, Died in the custody of Chelmsford police; according to the police, Asif was arrested after they were called to a disturbance in the street and he collapsed and died after a struggle, Inquest verdict unknown
Robertas Grabys, 49, 24/1/00, Pr, Lithuanian asylum-seeker hanged himself at Harmondsworth detention centre, Inquest verdict unknown
Keita Craig, Age unknown, 1/02/00, Pr, Suffered with mental health problems; took his own life in Wandsworth prison, Killed himself while the balance of his mind was disturbed. February 2001 - High Court orders new inquest after judicial review of the verdict. New inquest in October 2001 finds the same verdict but adds a rider that neglect was a contributory factor to the death.
Zahid Mubarek, 19, 23/3/00, Pr, Victim of a racist attack in his cell at Feltham Young Offenders Institute; he was just 12 hours from being released; the attack left Zahid with massive head injuries and he died five days later, His assailant, his cellmate, 19-year-old Robert Joseph Stewart, was jailed for life for his murder in November 2000
Edita Pommel, 20, 5/5/00, Pr, Edita Pommel was found hanged in HMP Brockhill; she had complained about racial harassment from a prison officer; her death is now the source of an investigation being carried out by West Mercia police, Inquest verdict unknown
Cheryl Simone Hartman, Age unknown, 18/6/00, Pr, Cheryl was found hanged in her cell at Holloway Prison; Cheryl had a history of mental illness and had asked to go to prison for medical help, Open verdict
Sultan Khan, 50, 30/6/00, Po, Died after being restrained by police officers in Clarence Park, St Albans. He had just left a nearby mosque and was restrained using handcuffs and leg restraints. The PCA press release commented that he had been arrested for drugs offences. The inquest into his death opened in November 2001.
Rashid Kausmally, 48, 1/01, Pr, A Mauritian found dead in the hospital wing of Lewes Prison. He had been charged with rape and robbery offences committed in Brighton. He was a known suicide risk and died after putting a plastic bag over his head - suffocating to death.
Eugene Edigin, 19, 3/01, Psy, He attended the psychiatric unit at the Whittington hospital and was detained the day before his death under the Mental Health Act because of 'erratic behaviour'. The following day he was found unconscious in his bed. The inquest in February 2003 recorded an open verdict. His family were critical of staff who, they allege, failed to monitor his diabetes.
Derek Bennett, Age unknown, 16/7/01, Po, Shot dead in the street by Brixton police who alleged they were called by a member of the public; Derek was carrying a novelty lighter shaped like a gun, Inquest verdict unknown
Michelle Allen, Age unknown, 2/11/01, Pr, Found hanged at Barking magistrates court; The company responsible for prisoners - Securicor Custodial Services - refused to comment, Inquest verdict unknown
Ricky Bishop, Age unknown, 22/11/01, Po, Taken to Brixton police station to be searched where he was restrained; then taken to Kings College hospital where he died, Inquest verdict unknown
Jospeh Crensil, Age unknown, 25/11/01, Po, Died after falling from a third floor window of a flat in Streatham; two immigration and two police officers were questioning five other men at the flat; Jospeh - who was hiding in the bathroom - tried to escape and fell to his death, Inquest verdict unknown
Nariman Tahamasbi, 27, 25/2/02, Pr, Found hanged in Lewes prison, he was serving a six-month sentence, for fraud and deception.
Marcus Downie, 21, 11/5/02, Pr, Found hanged in Chelmsford prison.
Lee Duvall, 23, 14/08/02, Po, Found dead in Ladywell police station a day after his arrest.
Fosta Errol Thompson, Age unknown, 15/08/02, Po, Shot dead by police in St. Werbergh's area of Bristol, Inquest verdict unknown
Kwame Sasu Wiredu, Age unknown, 30/08/02, Po, Arrested and taken to Stoke Newington police station where he complained of stomach pains; a doctor claimed he was fit enough to be detained; he was later found collapsed in his cell and died in Homerton hospital, Inquest verdict unknown
Beverley Fowler, 32, 2/10/02, Pr, Found hanged, two days before the end of her sentence, in Durham prison. She was a mother of three from Jamaica who was due to be deported back there after serving a sentence for drug smuggling. In September 2003, an inquest recorded an open verdict. The inquest was told she feared for her safety back in Kingston; the man who forced her into drug smuggling had murdered her partner.
Stuart Warwick, 29,16/1/03, Pr, Died from burns in HMP Winchester.
Mihail Bognarchuk, 42, 31/1/03, Pr, Ukrainian asylum seeker found hanged at Haslar removal centre.
Sponford Antonio Green, 43, 27/3/03, Po, Died after falling from the thirteenth floor balcony of the flat where he was staying. The inquest jury recorded a narrative verdict that 'he accidentally fell from the 13th floor whilst trying to evade custody.' Police were calling at his flat to arrest him for a breach of licence. According to his girlfriend, Antonio fled to the balcony (as he had on previous occasions when the police called) but was surprised to find police offices waiting on the neighbouring balcony. She also commented that 'one of the officers grabbed hold of him on the shoulder. I didn't know whether he was pulling Antonio back or pushing him over.'
Adel Muftah El-Hage, 29,16/3/03, Pr, Found electrocuted at Woodhill (category A) prison. Adel, a Libyan, was on remand after being arrested and charged in February 2003 with the murder of his wife, Salma Abusedra. At pre-trial hearings he had begged the judge to send him to Saudi Arabia so that he could face the death penalty, but had been refused.
Patrick Okello, 32, 21/5/03, Pr, found hanged at Wandsworth.
Rajwinder Singh Mutti, 29/3/03, Pr, Found hanged in Blakenhurst (private) prison where he was on remand for a charge of GBH. Rajwinder, an asylum seeker, had been in the UK for a few years and was granted indefinite leave to remain.
Ertal Hussein, 32, 21/6/03, Psy, Found collapsed at Bethlem Royal hospital, he was taken to Princes Royal University hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Since 1990, Ertal had been sectioned several times. A police investigation is ongoing and the hospital has launched an internal inquiry.
Tema Kombe (aka Emmanuel Silva/ Gladwell Moseki Keenao), 32, 4/9/03, Psy, A Ugandan asylum seeker was found hanged in the toilet of a psychiatric ward at Heatherwood hospital, Ascot. In January 2004, an inquest returned a verdict of misadventure after hearing that he had made three previous attempts on his life.
Iqbal Shamraz, 35, 5/9/03, Pr, Found hanged at Nottingham prison.
Michael Powell, 38, 7/9/03, Po, Died after being arrested by police in Lozell's, Birmingham. The police were called by his family after he began behaving erratically. During the course of the struggle to restrain him, Michael was knocked over by a police car and then, according to witnesses, restrained by police using batons and CS spray. Six officers were suspended.
Mohammed bin Duhri, 20, 20/10/03, Pr, Palestinian asylum seeker found hanged at Belmarsh maximum security prison. He had been held at Dover Immigration Removal Centre but after he allegedly assaulted a guard he was moved to Belmarsh. Three prison officers were suspended after they allegedly filed reports saying he was alive and well when he was already dead.
Paul Yorke, 38, 2/11/03, Po, died after being arrested by police officers at Terminal Two of Heathrow airport. He was taken to Heathrow police station where he was charged with being a 'prohibited person' (it is alleged that he had been banned from airport property) and then detained in a cell. He was, according to police, seen by a Forensic Medical Examiner on at least three occasions and deemed fit for detention. However, the following day, officers called an ambulance at 7.00 am after he was found collapsed in his cell. He was taken to Hillingdon hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Police Complaints Authority and the Directorate of Professional Standards are investigating his death.
Liang He, 23, 10/11/03, Pr, Found hanged at Bedford prison.
Last updated: 19 February 2004
The Institute of Race Relations is precluded from expressing a corporate view: any opinions expressed are therefore those of the authors.
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Tanzanians
Do not forget that Pastor Tumaini Kallaghe ogf the swahili servce church -St anne's churc h will be ordained today at 2.00 pm

Commuter Nzube Udezue files complaint over armed arrest ordeal
Link to the video
Nzube Udezue revisits scene of arrest An innocent commuter mistakenly detained at gunpoint has filed an official complaint over his arrest after it emerged that he did not match the description of the armed suspect police had been seeking.
Nzube Udezue, 21, an Oxford University graduate, was ordered to the ground, handcuffed and arrested by a team of armed officers after disembarking a train at Bournemouth station on Saturday.
It had been thought that Udezue, who boarded his train in Southampton, directly matched the description of another man seen earlier in the day brandishing an imitation firearm 30 miles away in Basingstoke.
Dorset police have repeatedly insisted that Udezue had no complaints - and nothing more to say - about his wrongful arrest.
But in his first interview since the ordeal, Udezue said police had since admitted the Basingstoke suspect had been described as black, with short hair and wearing a brown T-shirt with orange writing. Udezue, who had a shaven head, was wearing a black T-shirt with orange writing and long white sleeves.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) took just a few hours this week to deem the actions of Dorset police "appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances". The complaints watchdog decided not to launch a full investigation, instead opting to "supervise" an internal inquiry by the Dorset force.
Udezue's solicitor has filed an official complaint to the IPCC, calling for a full and independent investigation. A commissioner from the complaints body is expected to visit Udezue this week.
In a statement that appeared to concede the IPCC had not been told about the mix-up, the complaints body said: "The IPCC decided that Dorset police's actions in stopping Nzube Udezue were appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances because the force's account to the IPCC was that they were acting on intelligence that at the time was believed to be correct."
Revisiting the station platform for the first time, Udezue, an aspiring hip-hop musician, recounted the moment he was forced to the ground by officers pointing handguns and submachine guns at his head.
"What I felt was fear, primarily, but then confusion and embarrassment," he said. "I was completely compliant with their orders. But it's something that could have gone wrong. I can imagine very easily that a different person could have reacted in a different way. That would have had terrible consequences."
It was an altercation in Basingstoke shopping centre hours earlier that resulted in Udezue's arrest. Two men - one carrying an object that "looked like a gun" - fled the scene, according to an account of the incident police have given to his family.
Hampshire police put out a description of the suspected armed man as black and wearing a brown T-shirt. Two transport police officers identified Udezue, who was wearing a black T-shirt, as that man as he sat on the train listening to his iPod.
During the next 30 minutes there was a crucial failure in communication over the colour of Udezue's T-shirt. It was described by the transport police officers as "brown", and then became described as "dark".
A firearms team was dispatched to Bournemouth station and, just after 6pm, Udezue was apprehended on the platform. The following day, a dramatic image of the moment he was ordered to the ground was released, prompting comparisons with the case of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian man mistakenly shot dead by police after the failed July 21 bomb attacks.
Udezue wrote an account of his experience on his blog to try to assure friends who may have heard of his arrest. "People who saw me must have thought: what's Zuby done?" he said.
His blog entry was written in a light-hearted style. "When I woke up this Saturday morning, I could happily say that I'd managed to get through (almost) 22 years of my life without any real incident with the police. I could also say that I'd never had a gun pointed at me," he wrote. "Little did I know that by 6.10pm. I'd be lying face down on the ground, handcuffed, with several submachine guns pointed at me and the entire county's specialist police firearms unit on me."
Udezue now says he has important grievances. It was only once in the patrol car, for example, and after repeatedly telling officers that he was an Oxford graduate who had not been anywhere near Basingstoke, that police began to doubt themselves. "At that point, one of them said to the other: 'He certainly doesn't seem like the regular customer'."
After a brief stop at the police station, the officers offered Udezue a cup of tea, apologised, and drove him back to Bournemouth station. He was not informed him he had the right of complaint. He then travelled home alone. When he arrived, still shaking, he was unable to place his keys in his front door.
A senior officer only came to the family home to apologise for the incident after Udezue's distraught family phoned the station demanding the visit. Udezue's family want an explanation for the failure in communication that led to his arrest. They are also angry that Dorset police and the local MP, Tobias Ellwood, who has come out in support of the force, "assumed" that the computer science graduate had no complaints.
"There seems to be an understanding that [Udezue] recognises that these things can happen," Ellwood has said. "I think it is important that police don't fear stepping in for fear of reprisals if they get the wrong person."
Udezue, who is of Nigerian descent, believes his race was not pivotal to his wrongful arrest, but should still form a part of any investigation.
"As the person who experienced this, I don't think [race] is a core issue," he said. "I think where race may be an issue is the point at which somebody jumped to the conclusion that I was the suspect – based on a description that was not precise. It's possible that being a black person in an area where there isn't a lot of black people – that a conclusion could have been jumped to."
Asked about Udezue's complaints, Dorset police said in a statement: "It would be inappropriate to comment further because of the investigation by Dorset police's professional standards department into the incident which is being supervised by the Independent Police Complaints Commission."
"I don't want to damn the police," Udezue said. "I know they do a hard job. I just want to make sure this never happens again. Because it could happen to anyone."
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This article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Monday July 14 2008. It was last updated at 10:02 on July 14 2008.