28th March 2013

Three Metropolitan Police Service officers, two serving and one retired, have been arrested following an investigation by the IPCC into the evidence given at the inquest into the death of Sean Rigg who died in Brixton Police station in August 2008.

Deborah Coles, co-director of INQUEST said:

“We are pleased due process is finally underway, after a battle by Sean Rigg’s family for truth and justice that has been ongoing for nearly five years. It should not be down to organisations like INQUEST and families themselves to hold the police to account.

“We hope that this reflects a wider move towards greater scrutiny and accountability of the police and their conduct.”

These latest arrests come on the back of arrests of police in the case of Kingsley Burrell, who also died following police restraint.

INQUEST has been working with the family of Sean Rigg since his death in August 2008. The Rigg family is represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Leslie Thomas and Thomas Stoate of Garden Court Chambers and Daniel Machover and Helen Stone of Hickman and Rose Solicitors.

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. IPCC press releases on the arrests relating to the deaths of Sean Rigg and Kingsley Burrell are all available on the IPCC website
2. Further information on the death of Sean Rigg and the subsequent inquest jury verdict is available here