Ian Tomlinson's Attacker Walks Free

Today we're told that the officer who attacked Ian Tomlinson won't face any charges. Not manslaughter, not ABH, not assault, nothing.

Jenny Jones, Green member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said:
"This decision by the MPS won't please anyone. It won't satisfy the family, who don't have justice. It won't satisfy the officer, as he hasn't been officially cleared, just not prosecuted. And it won't satisfy the police as their reputation will be damaged yet again. "

"Time and again, the police appear to get away with serious assault or even manslaughter. From Blair Peach to Jean Charles de Menezes, they aren't being held to account for their crimes, and it's damaging to their public image."

"A trial for the officer would have tested the reputations of the medical experts involved. I am confident that a judge would come down on the right side of justice."


Watch the video here.


The partisan nature of the 'Independent' Police Complaints Commission, the way the police lied about what contact they'd had with Tomlinson, they lied about protesters trying to hinder gallant cops (when in fact protesters tried to help and cops refused to speak to ambulance services). They lied about Tomlinson dying of natural causes, they lied about there being no CCTV cameras.

It's the same treatment of smear and lies they gave the De Menezes case, and with a similar outcome. The officers who did it keep their jobs, those in charge saw a job well done, only the public were beaten and killed. It's the same closing ranks and protecting their position that we see far too often.

What would they need in order to prosecute? How much more evidence can there be of an offence, with witnesses and video footage? Yet the officer is free, and ready to be policing London once more.

The widow of a Ian Tomlonson has said her family "can't give up on justice". Julia Tomlinson said the Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) decision was "a scandal".

The Metropolitan Police has expressed "regret" to Mr Tomlinson's family.

The CPS announced on Thursday it would not be bringing any prosecution, having looked at charging the officer with various offences including assault and manslaughter.

But Mrs Tomlinson said her family were not "going to walk away from this", adding: "What message would it send to the police if we do?

"We don't see how Ian can die moments after being assaulted by the police officer and he isn't made to face a jury."


Mr Tomlinson was a newspaper seller who was not involved in the protests about the summit. Video footage showed him being struck by a baton and then pushed to the ground. Although he moved on afterwards, he was then found collapsed on Cornhill, 100 metres away, he died shortly after.

If it had been Ian Tomlinson who had attacked a police officer from behind who then died later there would have been no question of him escaping prosecution. He'd have been behind bars long ago. What a disgraceful double standard.

"Who will guard the guards??" Who polices the police? No one.