Five arrested over Lee Balkwell cement mixer death
- Published
Lee Balkwell, 33, died in July 2002 at an Essex farm after suffering from multiple injuries
Five people have been arrested over the death of a 33-year-old man found with multiple injuries in a cement mixer at a farm in Essex in July 2002.
A 43-year-old man from Upminster was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, perverting the course of justice and perjury over the death of Lee Balkwell.
Two men, aged 49 and 66, a woman, 63, also from Upminster, and a 38-year-old man from Southend were also held.
They are suspected of perverting the course of justice and perjury.
Mr Balkwell of Upminster was found in the cement mixer in suspicious circumstances, police said.
A report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission earlier this year said Essex Police were found to have made "serious flaws" in their initial investigations of the death in 2002.
Senior officers were criticised in the report which was carried out following a long campaign by Mr Balkwell's father Les.
Four of those arrested are understood to be members of the same family.
They were arrested at their homes under the direction of Det Ch Sup Lee Catling of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime directorate.
The directorate said it had been investigating the circumstances leading up to Mr Balkwell 's death since August 2010.