Family watch Sheku Bayoh's last moments on CCTV

The family of Sheku Bayoh, who died after being detained by police in Fife, have watched CCTV footage of his last moments.

They are now calling for Scotland's top prosecutor to make the pictures public.

The 31-year-old trainee gas engineer died in police custody after being detained following an incident in Kirkcaldy on 3 May.

His death is being investigated by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC).

The family said Mr Bayoh's mother "still wants to know what her son's last words were" as they reiterated their determination "to seek the truth".

Relatives of the father-of-two, including Mr Bayoh's partner Collette Bell and his sister Kadijartu Johnson, have been demanding answers over police conduct and Mr Bayoh's cause of death, and have previously held meetings with the PIRC and Lord Advocate.

'Basis of confidentiality'

The family took their case to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, where Labour MSP Claire Baker had organised a cross-party meeting to allow relatives to talk to politicians about the case.

It followed a meeting at the Lord Advocate's office, where relatives watched the footage of his final moments, family solicitor Aamer Anwar said.

Speaking outside the Scottish Parliament, Mr Anwar said: "Over the last four months the family has learned a great deal about the background of the police officers and what they did to Sheku Bayoh on the morning of 3 May.

"This morning, at the Lord Advocate's office, a heartbroken Bayoh family watched the last moments of Sheku's life taken on CCTV and mobile phone.

"Whilst they agreed to viewing the CCTV on the basis of confidentiality, the family would now urge the Lord Advocate to publicly release the CCTV."

'Avoid a whitewash'

Mr Anwar, speaking 22 weeks on from the death, said the family wanted to "urge politicians of all parties to hear their concerns".

"The family knows that the Scottish government has said that they cannot speak due to a live investigation, but they believe silence is not an option if we are to avoid a whitewash," the lawyer said.

Mr Anwar said the family remains unconvinced the PIRC will deliver a "robust and impartial inquiry", and they called for parliament to give the Commissioner more powers "to hold Police Scotland to account".

He said: "The Bayohs have always said that if Sheku broke the law, then the police had a right to act, but any force used had to be legitimate and proportionate.

"He was not a terrorist, he was not brandishing a knife at police officers, he was not carrying a knife when officers attended, nor was he 6ft-plus with superhuman strength. His family state that he did not deserve to die."

Family meeting

A spokesman for PIRC said the commissioner "continues to work closely with the Lord Advocate to investigate all available lines of inquiry", including gathering further expert opinion in relation to the cause of death.

The spokesman added: "The family were offered the opportunity to participate in the process of identifying further expert forensic pathologists, in addition to those already commissioned, to provide an opinion on how Sheku Bayoh died.

"They have now nominated three experts, whose details will be shared with the Lord Advocate for his consideration and instruction.

"The commissioner is keen that the family are able to openly and honestly communicate with her so that they may achieve a better understanding of the process and progress of the investigation.

"She is committed to further dialogue and looks forward to meeting the family again in the near future."

A Crown Office spokesman said: "In order to protect the integrity of the investigation we cannot at this stage release the CCTV footage into the public domain.

"We will however release the CCTV as soon as this can be done, without prejudicing the investigation."

Ch Supt Garry McEwan, of Police Scotland, said: "An independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sheku Bayoh's death is currently being carried out by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner and they have submitted an interim report to the Crown Office.

"Police Scotland remains committed to co-operating fully with the PIRC's inquiries. I would like to again offer my condolences to Sheku's family and we await the conclusion of the investigation."