Police accused of cover-up by family of Telford men

The police force at the centre of the controversy over the deaths of two black men in Telford allegedly attempted to distance itself from an inquiry about the handling of the cases.

West Mercia police in effect dismissed Scotland Yard's specialist racial crime unit after it produced a controversial report into the work of the constabulary's, according to sources.

The Metropolitan Police's racial and violent crimes task force was brought in as advisers after the West Mercia force was accused by the family of the two black men of failing to take seriously allegations that they were murdered by racists. Scotland Yard also reviewed the way the police had handled the two hangings.

The breakdown in relations is said to have happened in the run-up to the inquest in June 2001 of Errol McGowan, who was found hanging from a doorway. He had been the victim of a hate campaign in the Shropshire town.

It is understood that the West Mercia force was opposed to Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Grieve, head of the task force, or any of his officers appearing at the inquest.

None of the Scotland Yard officers, who could have given evidence about West Mercia's conduct during the inquiry, appeared at the inquest in June last year, which returned a suicide verdict.

Errol McGowan, 34, a builder and part-time doorman from Telford, Shropshire, was found hanging in July 1999 in an empty house, after a hate campaign that lasted for two years and involved 18 racial incidents.

Six months later, his nephew, Jason McGowan, 20, who had been asking questions about the death, was also found hanged, from roadside railings near a pub where he had been celebrating New Year's Eve with his wife, Sinead.

West Mercia police yesterday strongly denied any suggestions that they had fallen out with Scotland Yard and said that the constabulary had implemented all of the recommendations made in the task force's report. A West Mercia spokesman said that it continued to have a liaison with the Met and that the inquiry had highlighted good points as well as bad.

But Peter Herbert, the barrister who represented the family of Errol McGowan at the inquest and is a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said: "West Mercia changed tack just before the inquest. They suddenly became very combative. My feeling is that there had been a falling-out with the Met, who had put their nose out of joint.

"They suddenly became more concerned about protecting their own reputation rather than learning any lessons."

The inquest into Jason McGowan's death begins today, amid claims by his family that the West Mercia force is refusing to publish the task force's report. The relatives have threatened to seek a judicial review if the report is not made public immediately.

Suresh Grover, the McGowan family's spokesman, said that they had written to the Telford and Wrekin Coroner, Michael Gwynne, requesting a copy of the report.

If the document was not forthcoming, he said, their legal team would seek a judicial review, which could mean calling a halt to the inquest.

"That document is absolutely necessary to us, it has vital information," Mr Grover added.

The inquest into Errol McGowan's death heard harrowing evidence of a campaign of racial harassment and death threats.

The McGowan family has always maintained that the deaths were suspicious and that racists may have been involved, and that detectives failed to properly investigate either death.

Yesterday a spokesman for West Mercia police denied they were attempting to keep the report secret, pointing out that it had been passed to the coroner.

"It is the force's view that if the family or their legal representatives want access to any material, they should make an application to the coroner," he added.