Independent Police Complaints Commission
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IPCC upholds Derbyshire bail breaches complaint after death of student

The IPCC has upheld a complaint against Derbyshire Constabulary by the family of student Jagdip Randhawa over its handling of bail breaches by the man subsequently jailed for killing him.

Mr Randhawa, who was 19 and from Hounslow, died in October 2011, five days after he was assaulted by boxer Clifton Ty Mitchell during a night out in Leeds. Mr Mitchell was given a seven-year sentence for manslaughter in July 2012.

At the time of the assault Mitchell was subject to bail conditions but had breached those on several occasions without adequate action being taken by Derbyshire Constabulary. In the days following the assault on Mr Randhawa the force conducted an internal review and amended its bail management processes.

The IPCC investigation upheld the complaint that Derbyshire Constabulary had failed to appropriately manage the bail conditions and alleged breaches by Mr Mitchell. In the IPCC investigator’s opinion the force’s procedures were so flawed that no one recognised the ongoing issues with Mr Mitchell and the obvious opportunities missed.

The investigation also concluded that there was a case to answer for misconduct for a police officer over his handling of the family’s complaint. However as the officer had since retired no further action could be taken against him.

The IPCC’s report suggested a number of improvements to bail management procedures, most of which the force had already implemented following its own review. Further suggestions were made in relation to systems used by other forces, which Derbyshire Constabulary undertook to consider.

IPCC Operations Manager Steve Martin said: “I would like to send our condolences to Mr Randhawa’s family and everyone else who has been affected by his tragic death.

“Our investigation found evidence suggesting Derbyshire Constabulary’s bail management procedures at the time were inadequate and this is borne out by the immediate review the force carried out and the changes it introduced to address the flaws identified.”

An initial referral to the IPCC following a complaint by Mr Randhawa’s family led to the force carrying out a local investigation. The IPCC subsequently upheld an appeal by the family against the outcome of that. In April 2015 the IPCC began an independent investigation into the force’s response to bail breaches by Mitchell and its handling of the original complaint by Mr Randhawa’s family.

The IPCC’s investigation report can be viewed here.

 

Channel website: https://policeconduct.gov.uk/

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