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[Breaking] Kingsley Burrell police officers won't be charged

OFFICERS CLEARED: Kingsley Burrell, a father-of-two, died just after contact with police

FOUR POLICE officers at the centre of a probe into the death of father-of-two Kingsley Burrell will not be prosecuted.

Burrell, a 29-year-old trainee security guard, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, four days after being arrested by police on March 27, 2011.

His family said he dialled 999 for help because he felt he was being intimidated by a group of men while out walking with his five-year-old son.

However, officers detained him under the Mental Health Act. He was later admitted to the Mary Seacole Mental Health Unit before being transferred to the Queen Elizabeth.

It took more than four months to suspend the officers involved, sparking outrage from Burrell’s family.

Speaking to The Voice shortly after his death, his sister Kadisha Brown-Burrell said she was angry about the delays.

“His children have been left without a father,” she said. “My brother wasn’t here to celebrate his birthday and those responsible work as normal like nothing’s happened. It’s taken far too long for the police to reach a conclusion. Kingsley has still not been buried.”

The family have since campaigned tirelessly to ensure those responsible for his premature death were brought to justice.

Speaking at a really last month she told a crowd: “The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been given ten reports containing complex information on ten people who potentially could be prosecuted. These include four police officers and six NHS staff. We are still waiting for the outcome of these reports.”

However, within the last hour, the CPS announced that there was “insufficient evidence” to charge the police officers despite an extensive review.

A statement read: “The CPS was asked to consider whether there was sufficient evidence for a criminal prosecution of those involved in the events; four WMP officers, two West Midlands Ambulance Service technicians and three nurses and three doctors from the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

“There is insufficient evidence to establish that any individual assaulted or otherwise ill-treated Mr Burrell at any material time. There is, therefore, no realistic prospect of convicting any individual of the offence of manslaughter on the basis of an unlawful act.”

They also found there was insufficient evidence to “establish that there was a causative breach of a duty of care by any individual towards Mr Burrell at any material time” or that “any individual misconducted themselves.”

They added: “We understand that this is not the decision that Mr Burrell’s family will necessarily have wanted and we have written to them to explain our decision and have offered to meet with them to discuss this matter should they so wish.”

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