Skip to main content

Police officer guilty of gross misconduct over Kingsley Burrell's custody death

But family angry that two colleagues were cleared

WEST MIDLANDS police officer Paul Adey was found guilty of gross misconduct today over the death of Kingsley Burrell. 

A disciplinary hearing at Sutton Coldfield Police Station heard evidence that the police constable was involved in the events surrounding the death of Mr Burrell in 2011. 

Mr Burrell was a 29-year-old black man and father of three from Birmingham who died after suffering prolonged restraint by police.

Mr Adey has faced allegations that he breached standards of the use of force and honesty and integrity following the death of Mr Burrell.

A three-week police misconduct hearing at Sutton Coldfield police station found Mr Adey guilty of gross misconduct, but cleared two of his colleagues, Mark Fannon and Paul Greenfield. 

Four days before his death, Mr Burrell called police, saying that men were trying to kill him. 

PCs Adey and Mr Greenfield went to his house and claimed Mr Burrell was suffering from a severe mental health episode.

Mr Burrell was then detained by police under the Mental Health Act and forcibly restrained by means of rear cuffs, leg straps and threats of a taser for over four hours, according to the charity Inquest.

The day before he died, police and a dog unit were called to the hospital and “Kingsley was once again restrained using rear cuffs, leg straps, and the threat of tasers,” Inquest said.

A healthcare assistant told the misconduct panel that police repeatedly struck Mr Burrell more than 20 times before his death.

He was then left lying face down and motionless in a locked seclusion room for nearly half an hour.

Medical staff delayed entering the room, despite seeing his breathing drop to a worrying rate. 

By the time they attended to Mr Burrell, he had suffered a heart attack and never regained consciousness. He died the next day.

An inquest jury in 2015 returned a finding of neglect, saying that police officers lied about the circumstances in which Mr Burrell was left in seclusion and that unreasonable force by police contributed to the death.

The three officers were then charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice, but later found not guilty by a jury at a criminal trial.

The Justice4Kingsley campaign reacted to the latest development by calling for a protest on Saturday January 5 2019 outside Newtown Police Station in Birmingham.

Justice4Kingsley campaigner Desmond Jaddoo told the Star: “Although we welcome the decision that Kingsley's treatment by West Midlands Police was unacceptable, we are absolutely flabbergasted that only one officer was found guilty of gross misconduct.

“The fight for justice continues. We are demanding a public inquiry because the police have failed to hold all its officers in this matter to account.”

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 6,981
We need:£ 11,019
13 Days remaining
Donate today