Telford officer failed to recognise racial incident

The first police officer Errol McGowan turned to for help and protection dismissed his claim of racial harassment without further investigation, an inquest was told yesterday. Little more than three weeks later Mr McGowan was dead.

The 34-year-old was found hanging on 2 July 1999 at a house in Telford, Shropshire.

His friend and fellow doorman Malik Hussain told the inquest into the death that ­ rather than retaliate against the racist "bullies" ­ Mr McGowan had insisted on doing the "proper" thing and going to the police. On 17 June that year, the pair went to the Shropshire town's central station and asked to see an inspector. Instead they were interviewed by PC Maurice Wright, a man Mr Hussein agreed had been a "very good" beat officer working with the ethnic community in the Hadley part of town.

They told the officer about their fears of rising racial tensions in the Wellington area, that they believed they were on a Combat 18 hit list and that another Asian man had been assaulted.

They said they expected further trouble that weekend because the girlfriend of Robert Boyle ­ the alleged leader of a racist gang ­ was due to be barred from the pub where they worked.

After the meeting, PC Wright completed a report he faxed to the Wellington station as well as the town's intelligence cell. He noted, however, that in his opinion it did not constitute a racial incident but related more to the men's work as doormen of the Charlton Arms, from which Mr Boyle and his associates had been barred.

Under cross-examination from Peter Herbert, representing the McGowan family, PC Wright agreed that the proper definition of a racial incident was one in which any person involved perceived it as thus. He conceded he had never informed Mr McGowan or Mr Hussein that he had "changed his mind''.

"Looking back is it fair to say you should not have taken that view at the time?'' Mr Herbert asked.

The police constable replied: "From the definition, you are correct, Sir, I should not have drawn the conclusion that it was not a racial incident.''

The barrister continued: "There should have been an investigation before that conclusion was reached?'' PC Wright responded: "Yes. [But] I couldn't see a starting point for an investigation. They didn't give names of people I could verify the information with.''

The officer insisted the issue had been treated with no less priority or importance and had remained officially tagged as a racial matter. Extra police officers were assigned to the street outside the Charlton Arms that weekend.

The court was told that the "West Mercia force had issued guidelines at the time to encourage reporting of racial incidents because only one in 16 were being brought to the police's attention.

"One of the reasons undoubtedly is that victims feel their complaints will not be taken seriously by police,'' the report said.

The inquest also heard from PC Louis Hylton, who had spoken to the two men in an interview two days later.

PC Hylton said he felt he had bonded with Errol McGowan when he described the pressures of being a black officer who received support from half his own community while being seen as a traitor by other ­ predominantly young ­ black men.

"I think Errol thought that this uniform gives you some kind of protection from racism. That is not exactly the case,'' he said. The officer insisted it had been difficult to help Mr McGowan and Mr Hussein as no evidence was given and they had refused to name some people.

"Although they had come to the police for help on specific points they would not divulge much,'' he said.

PC Hylton had approached a man called Patrick Smitheman, whom they had accused of making a racist phone call, but without hard evidence it had been a "fishing exercise".

The inquest continues.