IOPC publishes final report concerning the death of a 12-year-old girl in Bury, Greater Manchester

4 Dec 2020 03:10 PM

The outcome of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation looking at the actions of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) concerning the death of Shukri Yahya Abdi has been published.

Shukri, aged 12, was reported missing by her mother just after 7.30pm on 27 June 2019. A short time later GMP received a separate report that a girl had gone into the River Irwell, Bury, and had not resurfaced. Sadly, underwater search teams later recovered Shukri’s body from the river.

Our investigation followed a complaint from Shukri’s mother about the actions of the force; alleging that officers failed to conduct an effective investigation and prematurely concluded that Shukri’s death was not suspicious.

We concluded our investigative work in December 2019. Our final report includes details of the actions of GMP before and after she was found in the river. We analysed CCTV footage, police logs, statements from Shukri’s family, as well as statements from officers and witnesses.

In summary, the investigation found:

• Officers reached the River Irwell within three minutes of the report that a person had entered the water.
• Witness accounts were taken almost immediately, a senior investigating officer (SIO) deployed and specialist underwater search teams dispatched.
• Force policy required the SIO to make an early assessment. The SIO assessed that there were no suspicious circumstances, and this was kept under review for a number of days.
• All relevant witnesses, including the children who were with Shukri that day, were spoken to as part of GMP’s investigation.
• The day after Shukri’s death, officers attended her school – speaking to staff and pupils – and added relevant information concerning bullying to their investigation.
• Media releases published by GMP confirming no current suspicious circumstances, and outlining the dangers of playing near rivers, was in line with both force and multi-agency policies.

Our complaint investigation also looked at whether officers treated  Shukri Abdi’s family less favourably because of their ethnic background.

In summary, the investigation found:

• GMP quickly ascertained they had a shared language barrier with Shukri’s family, and promptly brought in translation services
• The police SIO did not suspect Shukri had been unlawfully killed, but retained the services of specialist family liaison officer who was representative of the culture of Shukri’s family.
• GMP engaged and communicated with members of Shukri’s family and the local community throughout their investigation.
• During a conversation with the family, the SIO said he did not believe he shouted nor was disrespectful.

After analysis of all the available evidence, we did not find evidence to indicate Shukri’s family were treated less favourably because of their ethnic background.

In conclusion, the IOPC must determine if there is enough evidence that a tribunal could find that the standards of professional behaviour have been breached. This investigation concluded that there is insufficient evidence on which a case to answer for misconduct or gross misconduct for any of the individual officers could be found. Therefore the complaints against GMP are not upheld.

The final report can be found here and details of how these conclusions were reached can be found here.

IOPC Regional Director Amanda Rowe: “I know the tragic circumstances of Shukri’s death were felt across the local area and beyond. Our thoughts and sympathies remain with her family and all those affected by this incident.

“We know Shukri’s death posed many questions – we can only answer those around the actions of individual officers. The complaints we received following her death were treated with the upmost seriousness and very carefully assessed against the evidence available to us.

“We found insufficient evidence to suggest that GMP did not conduct a thorough investigation and I am satisfied that it was carried out in line with national and local policies and procedures.

“However, while we did not uphold the complaints, I have asked that the SIO reflect upon his actions during the meeting with Shukri’s family, and consider how raising his voice could be perceived by those for whom English is a second or other language and/or from BAME backgrounds.

“We shared our findings with Shukri’s family before the inquest, and we have offered to meet with them. I know that nothing we can do or say will bring Shukri back, but I hope that our work provides the clarity and facts they had rightly sought.”