Jay Abatan: Vigil calls for justice 23 years after Brighton killing

A vigil was held outside Brighton police station to raise awareness of the case and to remember Mr Abatan

The family of a man who died after an attack 23 years ago have held a vigil outside a police station to highlight the case.

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

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

His brother, Michael, said: "We want to make sure [police] take it seriously."

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

At the vigil on the anniversary of his brother's death, he told BBC South East: "It felt to me like a racially-motivated incident and the evidence suggested it was."

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

MP Sir Peter Bottomley was also present at the vigil outside Brighton police station, supporting the family.

He said: "There is more information now, let's use it.

"Please let's have justice for Jay. Black lives matter, all lives matter and confidence in the police matters too."

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 Mr Abatan to fall.

Michael and Jay Abatan were both attacked outside Ocean Rooms nightclub in Brighton

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 Abatan, but were acquitted.

The investigation by Sussex Police was heavily-criticised, 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.

The force has named the case Operation Dorchester and renewed its appeal, saying anyone with information should contact them immediately.

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