Allegations emerge that an officer in Sheku Bayoh's fatal arrest was violent and racist
A police officer involved in the fatal arrest of Sheku Bayoh has a history of violence and racism, his brother-in-law has alleged.
The officer, who was involved in restraining Sheku Bayoh during his arrest in Kirkaldy in May, allegedly violently attacked his own parents in 2005 and harboured hatred for black people.
In an interview with the BBC the policeman's brother in law said the PC had admitted he was racist after Bayoh’s death.
For legal reasons TFN has decided not to name the officer.
But his brother law reportedly said: "He out and out admitted that he was a racist, that he hates them, as he puts it - all the blacks. It's not right he's a police officer."
He also revealed that in 2005 the police officer in question had given his father a “major kicking” and knocked his mother unconscious during a violent attack in their own home.
He said: “I got call at work early morning, could you come home to mother and father in laws.
“I genuinely could not believe I was witnessing what I seen … because what kind of person can actually do that to their own parents?
“A frail old man who’d basically been put through something he should never have been put through, he was literally…black down one side.
“You knew instantly it wasn’t one hit, he’d been kicked, he’d been stamped on…he’d had a major kicking.”
A post-mortem examination found that Bayou, 31, had some 30 injuries on his body though it was not able to conlude the cause of death.
An investigation is now under way into how the arrest of the father-of-two resulted in his death.
The family of the trainee gas engineer has also campaigned for answers over the police handling of his detention following the incident in Kirkcaldy.
In response to the allegations Police Scotland assistant chief constable Kate Thomson said: “It would be inappropriate to comment as there is an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sheku Bayoh’s death which is currently being carried out by the Police Investigations & Review Commissioner and they have submitted an interim report to the Crown Office.
“Police Scotland remains committed to co-operating fully with the PIRC’s inquiries. I would like to again offer my condolences to Sheku’s family and we await the conclusion of the investigation.”
