The Metropolitan Police have lifted the suspension of the eight officers involved in the fatal restraint of Roger Sylvester almost six years ago. This lifting appears to fly in the face of the evidence and public interest.
The suspension was first imposed on the basis of the evidence that emerged at the inquest resulting in the unlawful killing verdict last year. That evidence was found to be sufficient to justify an unlawful killing verdict in the view of the High Court judge at the hearing last week of the judicial review challenge brought by the officers against the verdict. That evidence was not in any way undermined by the judge's indication that he was minded to quash the verdict because of his view of errors made by the Coroner in his summing up to the jury and by the jury in the words used in the inquisition.