Two Metropolitan Police officers face serious allegations over their conduct during a man’s death in custody, raising questions about accountability.
London: So, here’s the scoop. Two Metropolitan Police officers are in hot water for allegedly lying during an inquest about a man named Kevin Clarke who died in custody back in 2018.
These officers, Pc Danielle Barnes and Pc Elizabeth McAleenan, supposedly didn’t hear Clarke say “I can’t breathe” while he was restrained. But a misconduct panel is saying they might have been dishonest about it.
Clarke, who had a history of mental health issues, died after police restrained him in Catford. The inquest found that the way they handled him made things worse and contributed to his death.
During the hearing, a solicitor for the police pointed out that the body camera footage clearly shows Clarke trying to communicate. Yet, the officers claim they didn’t hear him at all.
Pc Barnes insisted they were just trying to get Clarke medical help, but the panel is questioning whether they really did enough to ensure his safety.
If the panel decides they were indeed dishonest, it could lead to serious consequences for both officers, including possible dismissal. The hearing is still ongoing, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens next.
