Peach death poster ‘perverting justice’

Press, 23 April 1980, Page 6

Peach death poster ‘perverting justice’

NZPA London A poster naming six members of the police Special Patrol Group and proclaiming them as “wanted for the murder of Blair Peach” has been attacked by the Police Federation as “deplorable” and “an attempt to pervert the course of justice.” The poster has been published by the Friends of Blair Peach Committee, and names members of the Special Patrol Group at the time of the Southall demonstration last year against the National Front. Mr Peach, a New Zealand teacher/ was killed during the demonstration. A spokesman for the committee, Mr Michael Carver, told “The Times” that 5000 copies of the poster had been printed and distributed throughout Britain to AntiNazi League groups and other supporters. He said they would be used by pickets who plan to demonstrate outside more than 50 police stations today, the first anniversary of Mr Peach’s death. Mr James Jardine, the secretary of the Police Federation,, said that the poster was deplorable and an attempt, to pervert the course of justice. If the poster was displayed, the policemen named would have a good

case for taking legal advice. “The Police Federation would assist them in any way at all if there was any hint of libel about it,” he said. New Scotland Yard has declined to comment on the poster because the resumed inquest into Mr Peach’s death will open next week and a spokesman said the matter was regarded as sub judice. One of the policemen named on the poster has been transferred from the Special Patrol Group and another is under suspension for a matter said by the Yard not to be directly connected with Mr Peach’s death. Mr Carver said the poster had been printed because the committee believed a report in the “Sunday Times” that mentioned the six policemen in connection with inquiries by Commander John Cass into Mr Peach’s death. That report said police investigators believed that, a case ' should have been mounted against one particular man and that affray charges should have been brought. But the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to bring charges. When the inquest opens at Battersea Coroner’s Court in London on April 28 it will be preceded by a march or-

ganised by the Friends of Blair Peach Committee. The Lord Chancellor and the Home Secretary have decided that the selection of •the jury for the resumed inquest should be left in the hands of the Coroner (Dr John Burton). In practice the selection will be carried out by a policeman who acts as the Coroner’s office. This method is criticised in the report of the unofficial committee of inquiry into the events of last April 23 when Mr Peach died from a fractured skull after a police charge. The report, published by the National Council of Civil Liberties, said: “In view of the circumstances of. this inquest, the process of selection should not be carried out by the police officer attached to the Coroner’s Court but by independent officials under the direct supervision of the Lord Chancellor’s Department.” Constable Ronald Gryce, the Coroner’s office, told the “Guardian” that the jurors were being chosen at random from the electoral roll. They were not vetted, but as they were obliged to give their occupations it was possible to exclude police and priison officers or anyone connected with the courts. He said he hoped to have 11 jurors, the maximum number.