Jay Abatan: Family host vigil 25 years on from Brighton killing

The father-of-two was punched twice before he fell onto the pavement

The brother of a man who died after an attack in Brighton has said he is touched by support shown at a vigil 25 years after his brother's death.

Jay Abatan, a 42-year-old accountant from Eastbourne, was killed outside the Ocean Rooms nightclub in January 1999.

The vigil was held outside Brighton police station on Sunday.

Michael Abatan said: "I think justice is just around the corner. We can get justice for Jay, it's only going to take one or two more witnesses."

On Monday, Mr Abatan will launch a booklet about the case in London.

A group of Jay Abatan's loved ones, who believe the attack was racially motivated, gathered at Brighton Police station

Speaking after the vigil, he said: "The vigil went well, it was wonderful. I saw three of Jay's friends come out 25 years after he died to support his family which was touching.

"Every day I have been trying to get justice for him so it doesn't feel like 25 years to me, more like two."

Michael, the son of English and Nigerian parents, was also attacked along with his brother and a friend as the club was closing.

Jay was punched and fell to the ground, fracturing his skull on the pavement. He died five days later.

Jay's brother Michael Abatan said he was touched to see his brother's friends at Sunday's vigil

Mr Abatan said he felt the incident was racially motivated.

He said: "There are still witnesses out there that haven't come forward. They are afraid to come forward.

"I think they owe it to themselves and Jay and the rest of us in Sussex and explain what they saw that night and what they know about the group of men," Mr Abatan added.

Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley recorded a verdict of unlawful killing at an inquest into the death in October 2010.

But she said it had not been possible to determine who threw the punches that caused Jay to fall.

Two men were arrested within 24 hours but manslaughter charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.

They were instead charged with affray and causing actual bodily harm to Michael, but were acquitted.

An investigation heavily criticised Sussex Police, with Essex Police concluding officers had not given enough consideration to the possibility the attack was racially motivated.

In a statement, Sussex Police said it accepted mistakes were made in the initial investigation and regretted that nobody had been convicted.

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