IPCC to investigate complaint from the family of Ian Tomlinson

PR 1539         IPCC to investigate complaint from family of Ian Tomlinson

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is to independently investigate the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and City of London Police media handling of the death of Ian Tomlinson in the week thereafter.

The family of Mr Tomlinson have complained that the MPS knew that Mr Tomlinson had contact with police prior to his death and were responsible for issuing misinformation about the level of contact until the publication of video footage on the evening of 7 April 2009, as a result of which the IPCC commenced an independent investigation.

IPCC Deputy Chair Deborah Glass said: “Not only the Tomlinson family, but also many members of the public and MPs have raised with us concerns about whether the police either misinformed the public about the circumstances of Mr Tomlinson’s death or failed to correct misinformation about how he died.

“I have therefore decided that, not only will we investigate the family’s specific complaint about the content and timing of the MPS media communications on the night of 1 April, but that we should also seek to determine, as far as practicable, the state of knowledge that both the MPS and City of London Police had about any police contact with Ian Tomlinson between 1 April 2009 and 7 April 2009.”

The investigation will be separate from the investigation into the circumstances of Mr Tomlinson’s death, to ensure that resources are not diverted from the criminal investigation that is now taking place. The outcome will be published as soon as possible.

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Issued by:

Trish Keville, IPCC Press Officer for London and South East on 0207 166 3130 or out of hours - 07717 851 157.