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The Independent Office of Police Conduct ‘IOPC’ recently determined two officers will face a misconduct meeting for allegedly failing to safeguard Natalie Shotter, who was raped and killed in Southall Park in July 2021. This decision by the IOPC overturns the Met Police decision, who initially determined the two officers should not be subject to any misconduct proceedings. The family of Natalie welcome the IOPC decision and continue to fight for justice for Natalie. The proceedings relate to the two officers allegedly failing to safeguard Natalie after a member of the public notified one of the officers that a woman was in a vulnerable situation, the officers advised the member of public to call the police for additional support as they were dealing with a separate situation at the time. Mohamed Iidow was found guilty of her rape and manslaughter in October 2024 and received a life sentence. Separate criminal proceedings are being held in respect of another officer for two charges of misconduct in public office relating to the inappropriate possession and sharing of images concerning Natalie as well as another woman. The misconduct meeting will be held in private; these proceedings arise when it is determined that an officer may have a case to answer for misconduct. A panel will then consider the evidence and form a conclusion on whether the actions of the officers amount to misconduct. They will then determine an appropriate outcome for the officers if misconduct is found. This was reported in the Guardian which can be read here. Natalie Shotter’s family are represented by Tara Mulcair and Hazel Metcalfe of Birnberg Peirce Ltd.

4872229 RACIST MURDERS AND POLICING joint press release – RA and JBL – 22.10.24 (003)

We in his firm sadly pass on the news of Ben’s death and our gratitude to him for the extraordinary example he gave in his life and in his work. We hope that we can remember and do justice to everything he single-handedly fought for, although understanding that Ben was and still is, irreplaceable. Trailblazing civil rights lawyer Ben Birnberg dies By Eduardo Reyes 26 October 2023 Solicitor Benedict Birnberg, ‘one of the greatest lawyers of his generation’, has died aged 93 after a short illness, his family has announced. As the founder and principal of BM Birnberg & Co, established in 1962, he led a firm that used the law to champion civil liberties, help clients assert their rights on housing and welfare, and protect victims of domestic violence. It also represented high-profile criminal defendants and supported campaigns from the anti-Apartheid movement to efforts to prevent the closure of services at Guys Hospital, then local to the firm’s offices on Borough High Street, London. Birnberg began his civil liberties work with CND and represented the actors union Equity in its internal battles over the boycott of Apartheid-era South Africa. Members of the ANC in exile were frequent visitors to the office. Representing the Albany Trust, he fought for gay rights at a point when rights campaigns were at an early stage in their development. The firm was a crucible that forged radical lawyers acting for civil rights clients. Paul Boateng, Imran Khan KC and Gareth Peirce trained at the firm. After his retirement in 1999, the firm continued as Birnberg Peirce, with Peirce as senior partner. Boateng, a partner at the firm before entering politics, said: ‘His skilled advocacy was put at the disposal of those who were all too often marginalised and unheard. Rightly admired and by his opponents feared also he was a constant source of inspiration to many of us. He was simply the best example of what a truly radical lawyer should be.’ Ben Birnberg was a true champion of civil liberties and one of the greatest lawyers of his generation, Paul Boateng writes. Fearless, kind, generous and always understated he championed the cause of racial justice, workers, women’s and gay rights long before it was safe let alone fashionable to do so. A lawyer in the Mangrove trials, for David Hockney and the Anti-Apartheid movement, he was always there in the thick of the struggle to win gains for and consolidate a range of progressive causes. I will never forget my first encounter with him having read of his work and seen it reported on TV. I wrote, received an immediate and encouraging reply, went to his office and got offered articles. I was one of the very few if not the only black articled clerk in London at that time. He didn’t just talk the talk he walked the walk when it came to equal opportunities. I and successive generations of Black and Asian solicitors owe him. He interviewed me in an office behind piles of files, mostly active, to which he always gave priority, and some long awaiting billing. His partners of whom I eventually became one despaired of his complete disregard for the firm’s profit and sustainability. The cause always came first with Ben. Behind the dishevelled, crumpled and vaguely other worldly manner I soon learnt was a keen intellect and a will of steel. His skilled advocacy was put at the disposal of those who were all too often marginalised and unheard. Rightly admired, and by his opponents feared also, he was a constant source of inspiration to many of us. He was simply the best example of what a truly radical lawyer should be. A mighty tree has fallen as they say in Africa for whose total liberation he was a lifelong champion. Hamba Kahle Ben! Go well!  Paul Boateng is Labour member of the House of Lords and a former partner at BM Birnberg & Co We campaigned together for a posthumous pardon for Derek Bentley, Simon Hughes writes. Ben Birnberg was one of the great British civil liberties lawyers of my adult life, whom I had the privilege to come to know well, work with often and respect hugely. When as a young lawyer, I became MP for Bermondsey and north Southwark in 1983, I was proud also to become the MP for the campaigning and radical Birnberg solicitors in Borough High Street. I regularly referred constituents and others to Ben’s firm and worked on several of the legal campaigns for which Birnberg’s became famous – such as to secure the posthumous pardon for Derek Bentley. I also came to know Ben really well when he offered large amounts of time, support, advice and wisdom to local and national campaigns which were not principally legal – such as the very successful local and national fight to ‘Save Guy’s Hospital’ from closure and to protect and save Borough Market. Ben was a man of almost limitless determination, energy and resolve and used his intellect, skill and unwavering commitment to justice successfully to challenge established British views throughout his long life. To his family, I add my warmest appreciation for all Ben did for so many for so long. Long may his legacy continue through the lives of all the civil liberty lawyers and others whom he inspired, led and taught so well. Simon Hughes was Liberal and Liberal Democrat MP for Bermondsey and North Southwark 1983-2015, and UK minister of state for justice and civil liberties 2013-2015

24 April 2023 MEDIA RELEASE Kelvin Igweani: Family responds to inquest conclusion of ‘lawful killing’ by Thames Valley police This media release is by Birnberg Peirce solicitors Before HM Assistant Coroner Dr Sean Cummings Milton Keynes Coroner Court 3 April – 19 April 2023 An inquest jury has found that Kelvin Igweani, aged 24, was suffering from a mental health episode and was lawfully killed by Thames Valley Police on 26 June 2021. While many other elements of the case have been covered by the media, Kelvin’s family wish to highlight the challenges they and Kelvin faced in accessing mental health support in an escalating crisis shortly before the incidents leading to his death. From April 2021, Kelvin’s family recognised that his mental health was rapidly deteriorating. They contacted services including the police, 111 and their GP surgery to support Kelvin with his mental health challenges. The family faced continuous barriers to securing support for him and at all times there was a lack of signposting. Just four days before Kelvin was shot, he again personally sought help from his former GP surgery, recognising his mental health was deteriorating. Instead of being directed to where he could get help, he was told he was no longer registered with that GP surgery. Neither Kelvin or his mother were told of any appropriate mental health services they could contact that could offer the support Kelvin needed at that crucial time. The inquest heard evidence which reflected the family’s and Kelvin’s own experience around the limitations in accessing mental health support. The family would like to make clear that Kelvin had no criminal record and had never been in trouble with police. Toxicological evidence heard at the inquest found that there was no alcohol or drugs in Kelvin’s system at the time of his death. Among the jury’s findings were that, although Kelvin was lawfully killed, prior to the incident, evidence showed he was suffering from undiagnosed mental ill health which had been deteriorating over several months. The mother of Kelvin Igweani said: “I tried several times, exploring different avenues to get my son the help he needed. Instead, I was faced with restrictions masked as GDPR or with the response that my son was not registered with a GP. I was never signposted to the appropriate services that could help my son. The police knew that Kelvin was in the midst of a mental health crisis, which they made clear in their evidence. My son was shot at four times, two bullets struck him as his hands were open. He was Tasered a second time, punched several times in the face, throttled by one officer whilst the other held my son down. Then, one of the officers proceeded to continuously stamp on my son’s face, then he was handcuffed. All of this occurred as he lay dying on the floor. The handcuffs were only taken off when paramedics arrived and asked the police to do so. While I understand the circumstances under which Police were called, they had no right to treat him or any human being that way. My son was treated inhumanely. There needs to be better signposting for those experiencing mental health crisis and their families, so that the painful events of 26 June 2021, which has affected not just our family but the other families too, does not happen again.” The family request that their privacy is respected during this challenging period and will not make further comment. ENDS NOTES TO EDITORS Any contact should be made to the family’s solicitor Patricia Hampel P.hampel@birnbergpeirce.co.uk. Kelvin Igweani’s family is represented by Patricia Hampel of Birnberg Peirce Ltd and Stephen Simblet KC of Garden Court Chambers.

Statement on behalf of Shamima Begum 22 February 2023 1. We the lawyers entrusted with the representation of Ms Begum in circumstances of extreme difficulty, register our profound disagreement with the decision taken by the Home Secretary in 2019 and the diminution by the Supreme Court of the ability of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission to consider her legal challenges. The outcome is that there is now no protection for a British child trafficked out of the UK if the Home Secretary invokes national security. 2. In its judgment the Commission points again and again to the Supreme Court’s decision; that it can only look at administrative law grounds which allow an almost impenetrable deference to the Secretary of State in reaching conclusions where national security is raised despite the Commission’s comments that “many right thinking people will strongly take issue with the assessment of those advising the Secretary of State” [293]. 3. The Commission makes significant findings in favour of Ms Begum’s case (see below) and against the Secretary of State, yet concludes they are not enough to dislodge the Secretary of State’s decision on the narrow administrative law challenges available. The Commission’s hands, it considers, are tied by the alteration by the Supreme Court of its role – it is no longer allowed to come to its own decisions on the merits of a case as a whole. On the key issues, it must defer to the Secretary of State. Once that is accepted, it is hard to see what part an appeal against this draconian decision can play. Core Facts 4. The fundamental facts of Ms Begum’s case are these; that a 15 year old British child was in 2014/15 lured, encouraged and deceived for the purposes of sexual exploitation to leave home and travel to ISIL controlled territory for the known purpose of being given, as a child, to an ISIL fighter to propagate children for the Islamic State. 5. The same basic facts had applied to other British children who had however been successfully stopped in the UK from travelling to ISIL territory; their cases were dealt with by the UK Family Courts with an understanding of their vulnerability and of State responsibility. 6. Referring to successive cases (also within the Borough of Tower Hamlets) Hayden J, in the Family Court held “There is no doubt in my mind that young women have been specifically targeted. The reality is that the future for such girls holds only as we know, exploitation, degradation and the risk of death. In other words, these children with whose future I have been concerned have been put at risk of really serious harm and as such the state is properly obligated to protect them” [79]. 7. Ms Begum and her two friends were not stopped (as a result of a litany of failed opportunities by the police, school and local authority in respect of their statutory duties). The Commission held that: “It is also arguable, in the Commission’s judgment, that there were State failures, and possible violations of the [State’s] corollary protective duty, between December 2014 and February 2015. There is force in the submission that these could be investigated” [224]. 8. By contrast with those who were successfully prevented from travelling, those for whom that protective duty was met, Ms Begum has been denied the same approach. That was even though the Commission concluded the following: (i) “On the basis of what is in the public domain, any fair-minded person would have to agree that Hayden J’s generic predictions as to what could well happen to those exploited in this way have been amply borne out in Ms Begum’s case. She was “married off” to an ISIL fighter shortly after her arrival in Syria and spent much of the following four years pregnant. Her three babies have all died. She remained in ISIL territory until January 2019 at which time she was in the ninth month of her pregnancy (her third child died in March 2019, three weeks old). Whatever the extent of her ideological commitment before she left in February 2015, Ms Begum could not have had any inkling of how much personal suffering she was destined to endure” [93]; (ii) There is a credible suspicion that Ms Begum was trafficked [226]. (iii) There were possible violations of the state’s protective duties in the months leading up to Ms Begum’s departure in 2015, which were not and have never been properly investigated [224]. (iv) “There is a credible suspicion that Ms Begum was recruited, transferred and then harboured for the purpose of sexual exploitation” [219]. (v) “Trafficking in human beings is an international crime and a form of modern slavery”. “A repulsive strikingly malignant practice, as damaging in its impact on victims as was its historical predecessor [174]”. (vi) The legal policy underlying Article 4 of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings and Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibiting slavery) is that children are victims and are deemed not to have acted voluntarily. Consent is irrelevant. (vii) The Commission refers to the Secretary of State’s assessment that “the primary role for most women will typically be as wives of fighters and mothers of their children, raising the next generation of fighters and “citizens” in the caliphate” [122]. The Commission also concluded: (viii) In respect of the timing of the Secretary of State’s decision to deprive Ms Begum of her citizenship that “it is clear from all the material we have seen that, from the moment the news story broke, this decision would have to be made quickly. Political rather than national security factors drove the outcome” [342], and (ix) The Commission expressed its concern about the impact of the decision to deprive Ms Begum on the wider Muslim community and concluded that there was “nothing” in open which indicates the Secretary of State has “addressed his mind to the real issue here, which is that many rightthinking … Read More

Today at 2pm the Undercover Policing Inquiry  will hear closing submissions by Charlotte Kilroy KC on behalf of 25 women deceived into relationships by undercover police officers (UCOs), a child of one of those relationships and a man deceived into a close long-term friendship. The written submissions are published here. They highlight a buried report published in 1983 detailing the depths of misogyny in the Metropolitan police force and reveal that the MPS has known about these attitudes for forty years. (paragraph 37, p 15 Category H written submissions). We believe this to establish a clear link between the abuse of our clients at the hands of the UCOs and the police misogyny now being exposed in the media. Paragraph 19 of the closing submissions says: “In this Closing [the women] accordingly invite the Chair to find that the misogyny and institutional sexism which was (and as recent events have demonstrated remains [fn1]), endemic in police culture was a strong contributing factor in: The fact that UCOs entered into sexual relationships with members of the public in T1; The failure of more senior officers in the SDS and MPS to take any steps to eliminate the obvious risk of such relationships; The persistence of the sexual misconduct of UCOs over the T1 period, and beyond.” We direct any press inquiries to media@policespiesoutoflives.org.uk. The PSOOL press release including a summary of the closing submissions is available here. FOOTNOTE 1: Operation Hotton Learning Report published in January 2022 found “an underlying culture allowed conduct issues to permeate and behavioural problems went unchallenged.” Available at: https://www.policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Operation%20Hotton%20Learning%20report%20-%20January%202022.pdf; the Angiolini Inquiry was established in November 2021 to investigate the issues raised by the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens, a serving Metropolitan police officer. The Terms of Reference for the Inquiry were updated in February 2023 to include the case of former PC David Carrick.  https://www.angiolini.independent-inquiry.uk/. On 25 January 2023, Sir Mark Rowley, MPS Commissioner admitted that two to three Met Police Officers will appear in court every week including for sexual offences. L. Dearden, Two to three Met Police officers including alleged sex offenders to appear in court every week. 25 January 2023 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/met-police-officers-court-rape-rowley-b2268832.html  BIRNBERG PEIRCE 21 FEBRUARY 2023

PRESS RELEASE MET POLICE FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE INSTITUTIONAL SEXISM IN APOLOGY TO WOMEN DECEIVED INTO RELATIONSHIPS BY UNDERCOVER OFFICERS. Statement by ‘Bea’, Donna McLean, ‘Ellie’, ‘Jenny’, ‘Jessica’, ‘Lindsey’, ‘Lizzie’, ‘Madeleine’, ‘Monica’ and ‘Sara’ We are 10 women who were deceived into sexual relationship by undercover police officers and have just settled or are bringing civil claims against the Metropolitan Police Service. Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball, now retired, has acknowledged that each of us is telling the truth and apologised for what happened to us. But she has not acknowledged the institutional sexism which is at the heart of this abuse. This omission is an insult and renders her apology meaningless. How long do we – and all of the affected women – have to wait for a full and open apology from the MPS for the sexism which was the driving force for the abuse? Why can’t the MPS make a straightforward, public commitment to eradicating sexism in all its forms from its culture and to becoming an anti-sexist organisation? 7 other women represented by Birnberg Peirce settled claims and secured an apology from the MPS in 2015 which acknowledged that the sexual relationships were abusive, deceitful, manipulative and wrong. In 2021 the Investigatory Powers Tribunal ruled in favour of another woman, Kate Wilson, finding that that the undercover policing operations against the protest movements were unlawful, discriminatory and identified a ‘formidable list’ of breaches by the Metropolitan Police of fundamental human rights[1] Despite these public pronouncements of wrongdoing by the MPS, the civil claims process has been deeply traumatic and gruelling for us. We often felt like we were treated as adversaries rather than the innocent victims of institutionally sanctioned abuse. We have still not been able to see the information held on us and we still do not know the reason why we were abused in such a cruel and degrading manner. During the course of the claims process we have found it painful and distressing to again hear in the media yet another senior Metropolitan police officer apologising that yet another serving officer has been able to abuse women because of systemic failings within the Force. We suffer fresh grief and rage over every new story we read; the abuse of the dead bodies of Biba Henry and Nicole Smallman; the kidnapping rape and murder of Sarah Everard by MPS officer Wayne Couzens. The unnamed rape victims of MPS officer David Carrick who committed 43 offences across a 17-year period. It has been sickening to witness the accumulation of evidence of the culture of misogyny within the Force. Their decades long failure to tackle it means the latest police apology about violent misogyny within the Met rings hollow for us. The Met must spell out exactly how it will tackle its culture of festering misogyny. We will be writing to Commissioner Rowley to ask him to do exactly that. Sarah McSherry, consultant solicitor with Birnberg Peirce says, “ ‘Bea’, Donna McLean, ‘Ellie’, ‘Jenny’, ‘Jessica’, ‘Lindsey’, ‘Lizzie’, ‘Madeleine’, ‘Monica’ and ‘Sara’ show great strength and selflessness in their continued pursuit, through these cases and in other forums, of truth, accountability and change in the Metropolitan Police Service in an effort to ensure that no member of the public has to suffer this type of abuse again”. Any press queries to media@policespiesoutoflives.org.uk please.

PRESS RELEASE RICHARD OKOROGHEYE: METROPOLITAN POLICE APOLOGISE FOR FAILINGS IN RICHARD OKOROGHEYE INVESTIGATION Richard Okorogheye, 19, went missing from his home in West London on 22 March 2021. Richard was a vulnerable adult with a diagnosis of Sickle Cell Anaemia and had been shielding in line with government guidance. Richard was reported missing by his mother, Evidence Joel, on 23 March 2021. His mother made police aware that he suffered from Sickle Cell Anaemia on a number of occasions and that he had left home without his medication. Richard’s body was found in a lake in Epping forest two weeks later on 5 April 2021. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (‘IOPC’) investigation into the police response to Richard’s disappearance has now concluded. The IOPC found that overall, officers provided an unacceptable level of service to Richard’s mother when she reported her son was missing and that the force should apologise. The inquest into Richard’s death is expected to take place next year. Richard’s mother, Evidence Joel, said: “The IOPC investigation has confirmed what I always knew – in the darkest period of my life, I was dismissed by multiple Metropolitan Police staff at all levels of seniority and my son’s disappearance was not taken seriously. It is a matter of deep regret to me that despite both the IOPC and Metropolitan Police concluding that the performance of three police officers (including an Inspector) and three call handers fell short of the standard expected, nobody will face misconduct proceedings. Therefore the apology is not accepted.” Tara Mulcair of Birnberg Peirce solicitors said: “It is regrettable that the Metropolitan Police have decided to apologise to Ms Joel now, almost 16 months after his disappearance and only after a recommendation from the IOPC.” Evidence Joel is represented by Tara Mulcair of Birnberg Peirce and Tom Stoate of Doughty Street Chambers. BIRNBERG PEIRCE, 6 JULY 2022

PRESS RELEASE RICHARD OKOROGHEYE:MISCONDUCT NOTICES SERVED ON TWO METROPOLITAN POLICE OFFICERS The Independent Office of Police Conduct ‘IOPC’ has served misconduct notices on two Metropolitan police officers (in addition to two civilian staff), on the basis that there is an indication that these officers may have failed to pass on new and relevant information relating to Richard Okorogheye to the team responsible for conducting missing person assessments. Richard’s mother, Evidence Joel, has been informed that a Metropolitan police officer initially decided to consider Richard as not being missing. Regardless of the claims about whether or not the police had been informed that Richard suffered only from Anaemia, and not Sickle Cell Anaemia, the IOPC understands that there is an ‘indication’ that this officer may have actually been aware of Richard’s condition, and either failed to consider it as part of their original risk assessment (in which we understand Richard was assessed as ‘low risk’), or did not amend their risk assessment when they later received this information. In light of this, the IOPC has served this police officer with a Notice of Investigation. Whilst Richard was missing, our client contacted Richard’s GP for assistance, hoping that the police would not ignore or dismiss an indication from the GP in the same way as she felt her complaints had been. Richard’s GP contacted the Metropolitan police control room. Details of this call were then passed on to the team looking into Richard’s disappearance. The police officer who received details of this call did not update the missing person’s investigation file. In light of this, the IOPC has served this police officer with a Notice of Investigation. Richard’s mother, Evidence Joel, said: “This development in the IOPC investigation confirms what I have known all along – both Richard’s GP and I were dismissed by numerous officers and staff at the Metropolitan police. In addition to dismissing my concerns about the disappearance of my son, a young black man, there was clearly either a lack of understanding about Sickle Cell disease or a reckless disregard for Richard’s condition – a condition which disproportionately affects individuals from African and Caribbean backgrounds. Although I welcome this update from the IOPC, I remain deeply disappointed and concerned with the Metropolitan police’s treatment of me and the underlying reasons for this.” The IOPC has now served misconduct notices on a total of four Metropolitan police staff – two police officers and two civilian staff. There is an indication that all four failed to pass on new and relevant information relating to Richard’s disappearance. The IOPC investigation continues and is expected to conclude later this year. Evidence Joel is represented by Tolu Agbelusi and Tara Mulcair of Birnberg Peirce. BIRNBERG PEIRCE 7 SEPTEMBER 2021