Gavin Brown: 'Chokehold' victim not valued by police, sister says

Sophie Penrose said she had no contact from police after her brother was killed in 2019

The life of a man who an inquest jury concluded was unlawfully killed as a result of being restrained "was not valued" by police, his sister has said.

Gavin Brown died eight days after being put in a "chokehold" outside a pub in Stretford, Greater Manchester, in 2019.

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) investigation saw five arrested people face no further action.

His sister said from the start of the case it felt like Gavin's life and her family "did not matter" to GMP.

GMP said it was sorry the family did not feel they had received a good service from the force.

Det Ch Insp Dave Jones said the force would continue to update Mr Brown's family as it reviewed the investigation and consulted with prosecutors.

"We will do everything we can to support Gavin's family in their quest for justice," Det Ch Insp Jones added.

Mr Brown's family said he was a "cheeky chappie" who enjoyed making people laugh

During a two-week hearing the jury was told the 29-year-old father-of-two had a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia which was being managed with medication.

The court was shown body-worn camera footage from police officers, which showed Stefan O'Donnell holding him on the ground outside the Melville Hotel on 12 April 2019.

Mr O'Donnell, who had drunk eight pints of lager in the pub before the incident happened, told the court he became involved when a friend told him to go outside because "a doorman needs some help".

Another witness said Mr Brown had thrown two punches at a doorman, before pressing down on to his eyes.

Gavin Brown was restrained outside the Melville Hotel in 2019

The jury heard Mr O'Donnell saw "a melee" involving a member of the pub's security team and Mr Brown, who he said was "angry and furious".

He tried to hold Mr Brown, who he said "only became quiet when we heard the police sirens".

Mr Brown did not respond when officers spoke to him, but they continued to arrest and handcuff him while he was being held down.

Manchester South Coroner's Court heard "physical restraint" caused Gavin's death.

The inquest also heard that a plastic bag was found to be covering the lower part of Mr Brown's face when emergency services arrived.

Sophie Penrose said there was "no contact from police" after her brother's death until she called them for updates.

'Lost faith'

Ms Penrose said her family were "disgusted" when they found out there was no further action brought by GMP.

"From the beginning, it has felt like Gavin's life did not matter and we did not matter," she told BBC North West Tonight.

"To us it was quite clear that something was not right here what had happened and we just felt that his life was not valued."

"I lost faith in the criminal justice system to be honest," she said.

The original investigation was closed after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided there was not sufficient evidence to bring charges.

His family said the inquest had "revealed major shortcomings" and have called for a new investigation into his death.

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