Scotland Yard apologised yesterday to the family of Ian Tomlinson as it paid out a substantial sum in damages and legal costs

Senior officers apologised ‘unreservedly’ for the clash that led to the newspaper seller’s death during the G20 riots in 2009.

In an unusual move, they branded the actions of disgraced Pc Simon Harwood ‘excessive and unlawful’ despite his acquittal for manslaughter.

And they admitted ‘significant failings’ in vetting procedures which did not prevent the officer re-joining the ranks despite a history of misconduct.

Mr Tomlinson’s grieving family said the apology and compensation deal was ‘as close as we are ever going to get for justice’ after a four year fight.

It brings to an end another ignominious chapter in the history of Britain’s largest force which not only employed a thug but misled the public over the tragedy.

His widow, Julia Dawood, of the Isle of Dogs, East London, said it meant her family could ‘finally start looking to the future again’.

She attacked police for forcing them to take ‘apart untruthful accounts’ of what happened and labelled Harwood’s acquittal ‘unimaginable’.

She said: ‘We will never understand the verdict, but at least today’s public admission of unlawful killing by the Met is the final verdict, and it is as close as we are ever going to get for justice.’

She added: ‘It will always be painful for us that Ian died so violently, but at least he is at rest now, and the force has publicly acknowledged the truth.

‘We hope that lessons have been learned and that other families will be spared the tragedy and ordeal that we have had to face.’

Mr Tomlinson, 47, was caught up in the anti-capitalism demonstrations in the City as he walked home in April 2009. He died after being struck by a baton and pushed to the ground by Pc Harwood who was in a line of riot officers. He was also bitten by a police dog. Mr Tomlinson stood up and walked a short distance before collapsing and dying from internal bleeding.

Police did not admit their involvement until a shocking amateur video capturing his last moments was passed to a national newspaper. It triggered a firestorm of controversy that led to an inquest in which a jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

They found he died from a haemorrhage caused by blunt force trauma, to which Mr Tomlinson was particularly vulnerable due to his alcoholism.

Pc Harwood, a member of the Met’s controversial territorial support group, was charged with manslaughter but acquitted. Last September he was dismissed by a misconduct panel for using unnecessary and disproportionate force.

The Met said the size of the out-of-court settlement will remain secret and it brings to an end all litigation connected to the case.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Maxine de Brunner said the actions of Pc Harwood ‘fell far below the standard we expect from our officers.’

She said: ‘I apologise unreservedly for Simon Harwood’s use of excessive and unlawful force, which caused Mr Tomlinson’s death, and for the suffering and distress caused to his family as a result.’

Speaking about Pc Harwood’s readmission to the Met in 2004, she said there were ‘insufficient’ checks, adding: ‘We got it wrong.’

Original report here




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