Andre Moura, 30, died several hours after he was detained on suspicion of breaching the peace on the night of July 6, 2018
Six policemen involved in the arrest of a man who later died in custody have launched a bid to keep their identities secret during his inquest and to give evidence from behind screens.
Andre Moura, 30, died several hours after he was detained on suspicion of breaching the peace on the night of July 6, 2018.
Greater Manchester Police said they were called to reports of a ‘domestic disturbance’ at around 11.35pm on Seventh Avenue in Limeside, Oldham.
Officers used CS spray to restrain Mr Moura outside his house before he was taken to Ashton-under-Lyne police station, they said, but ‘on arrival’ Mr Moura was ‘found unresponsive in the back of the police van’.
He was then taken to Tameside hospital, where he was declared dead at 1.30am.
In August, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that no criminal charges would be brought against individual police officers, although they face internal disciplinary hearings later this year.
At a pre-inquest hearing in Stockport yesterday, it emerged six police officers have asked South Manchester Coroner Alison Mutch to protect their identities.
The coroner imposed an interim ‘anonymity order’ until she decides the matter at a hearing in the summer ahead of a full inquest scheduled to take place in January 2022.
The names of the officers were not mentioned during the hearing, in which the coroner said: ‘Nothing should be published which would lead to the circumventing of any decision I make’.
Peter Edwards, representing the Moura family, confirmed he would be opposing the application, although he said he had not yet seen the officers’ supporting witness statements.
He went on that it had not been suggested that any members of the Moura family represented a risk to the officers concerned.
Mark Kelly, who represents one of the officers, said it was ‘preferable’ the Moura family was given ‘redacted’ documents from which the identities of the officers were removed.
Officers used CS spray to restrain Mr Moura outside his house before he was taken to Ashton-under-Lyne police station, they said, but ‘on arrival’ Mr Moura was ‘found unresponsive in the back of the police van’
The court heard it would take about a month to redact documents and edit police body-cam footage to prevent the names of the officers becoming known.
Sam Green, who represents the remaining officers, said he objected to the names of the officers being provided to the relatives ‘at this stage’.
He said if the names were given to the family there would be ‘no turning back’.
The coroner decided it was ‘the right and proper way forward’ to provide the family with a redacted bundle of documents where the officers would be referred to by a letter rather than their name.
Ms Mutch listed another pre-inquest hearing for July 23 to hear final submissions on the anonymity applications before making her ruling.
A Portuguese national who move to the UK around 2013, friends described Mr Moura as a ‘doting’ father to four young girls.
One neighbour claimed to have seen a police officer knee Mr Moura in the head ‘several times’ as he was being restrained.
GMP made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) following the incident and all ten officers who attended were placed on restricted duties.
Flowers were left outside the home of the 30-year-old, described as a ‘doting’ father
Following a 12-month investigation, the watchdog passed a file of evidence to the CPS recommending criminal charges against five officers.
One officer was referred for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and misconduct in public office, and four others for misconduct in public office.
But another year later, the CPS has decided not to pursue the charges.
It is understood the decision was made around August 18 and all parties, including the family of Mr Moura, were written to.
All ten GMP officers are understood remain on restricted duties pending the outcome of internal disciplinary proceedings which are scheduled to be finalised by the end of this year, ahead of the inquest proper in January 2022.