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KILLED: Kingsley Burrell

TWO FILES of evidence concerning the death in custody of Kingsley Burrell have been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to help decide whether any individuals should be prosecuted over the young dad’s death two years ago.

Four officers from West Midlands Police have previously been arrested and bailed on suspicion of the manslaughter of 29-year-old Burrell in March 2011.

A file from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been passed to the CPS, along with a second separate file from Dorset Police which has investigated the actions of medical staff at the time of Burrell’s death.

The Burrell family, who have kept up a long campaign to find out how and why he died, now face another wait to see if anyone will face prosecution.

Trainee security guard Burrell, from Hockley, Birmingham, dialled 999 for police help in March 2011 when he was out walking with his young son, claiming he was being threatened by a gang.

Officers who arrived at the scene detained Burrell under the Mental Health Act despite him having no history of mental illness. He was sectioned hours later and taken to the Mary Seacole mental institute in Winson Green.

Three days later police were called to the unit following an “incident” and Burrell was transferred to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he died on March 31.

A spokesperson for the police watchdog said: “The IPCC has completed its investigation into the death of Kingsley Burrell and a file of evidence has been submitted to the CPS.

“Four police officers were involved in the transportation of Mr Burrell from one mental health facility to another and had placed Mr Burrell while under restraint into a seclusion room at a mental health unit in Birmingham.

“Dorset Police, which has also carried out a separate investigation at the request of the IPCC into the actions of non-police medical staff, have also submitted a file of evidence to the CPS.

“Four West Midland police officers have previously been arrested and interviewed by the IPCC under criminal caution. A number of other police officers have been interviewed as witnessed during the course of the investigation.”

Burrell was buried 17 months after his death at a funeral attended by well over 300 people last August who walked in silence along Handsworth’s Soho Road.

His family have led several campaigns for justice since his death. During the last march held last summer, his mother Janet Brown said: “I want to know how my son, a fit young man in his prime with no history of mental illness was taken off the street, sectioned and died in custody three days later.

“The system has failed my son or he would be here with us today. It is now up to West Midlands Police and the NHS to provide us the family and community with answers.”