Two Met officers face serious allegations regarding their conduct during the inquest into Kevin Clarke’s tragic death in 2018
Lewisham: So, there’s this serious situation with two Met police officers. They’re being accused of lying during the inquest into Kevin Clarke’s death. This all happened back in March 2018 when Kevin, who had schizophrenia, died after being restrained by the police.
During the inquest, it came out that Kevin was in a really tough spot. He reportedly told the officers, “I’m going to die,” but they didn’t seem to take him seriously. Sadly, he lost consciousness while being taken to the ambulance.
The coroner found that the way the officers restrained him played a part in his death, which was due to a mix of his mental health issues and exhaustion. Now, these officers, PC Danielle Barnes and PC Elizabeth McAleenan, are facing accusations of not doing their job properly and being dishonest during the inquest.
If these claims are proven true, it could lead to serious consequences for them, including dismissal. The local police commander, Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry, expressed sympathy for Kevin’s family and acknowledged the failings of the police service in this case.
He emphasized the importance of holding officers accountable and mentioned that they’re reviewing their policies on how to handle situations involving mental health crises. A misconduct hearing is set to kick off on January 20, so we’ll have to see how that unfolds.
