Racist abuse claims as Sheku Bayoh public inquiry resumes

The long-running hearing is not expected to be completed until 2024 - nine years after his death.

Mr Bayoh was 31 years old when he died in police custody after being restrained by police on Hayfield Road on May 3, 2015. Since then his family have campaigned to know what happened.

The rare, judge-led public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death, and the investigations following it.

Headed by Lord Brackendale, it began taking evidence in May before a short break, resuming again on Tuesday. It will examine the circumstances of his death, and the impact of race during the hearings amid claims from the family that it played a part in it.

The issue was cited again as a BBC programme revealed claims that family members had received racist abuse during the inquiry.

Kadi Johnson, Mr Bayoh’s sister, said it happened after she was called to speak at the inquiry - and she no longer felt safe in Scotland.

She showed the BBC several abusive messages she received as a result of her statement. One said her brother "deserved everything that happened."

Speaking on the BBC Disclosure programme - How Did Sheku Bayoh Die?, Ms Johnson said: "It's very upsetting to hear that, very upsetting, when I saw those messages. How could people think like that? My brother has passed away, in the hands of people who are supposed to look after him."

Police Scotland said it had not received a complaint, but added: "We have spoken to the family's lawyer to establish if they wish to pursue this matter so that any criminality can be thoroughly investigated."

Lord Brackendale condemned the abuse, stating: “"I abhor such abuse, whatever its source and against whomever it is directed. I am sure that everyone associated with this inquiry will agree with me that such behaviour is despicable and entirely unacceptable.

"In some instances it may amount to hate crime. "

Family members have led a long-running campaign to keep Mr Bayoh’s case in the public eye, and fought long and hard for the inquiry to take place.

Born in Sierre Leone, the trainee gas engineer moved to Fife to be with his family. He was the father of two sons.

The incident which led to his death came after police responded to multiple reports of a man with a knife acting erratically in the street early in the morning,

On the day he died, he had taken the drugs MDMA and flakka, a stimulant, at a friend’s house, and witnesses said this seemed to dramatically alter his behaviour.

Six officers responded and restrained him, during which time he fell unconscious and an ambulance was called for him. He was pronounced dead at hospital with multiple injuries including head wounds and a broken rib.

Hundreds of people attended a rally at Templehall Community Centre immediately after his funeral. The Lord Advocate decided not to prosecute police following his death.