Police escape censure over delays in finding body in van

A man found battered to death in a van on Wednesday has been named as Shaleem Amar, who was 40, married and had three children.

He was discovered dying of head injuries by officers in Sunningdale, Berkshire, after they stopped the white Mercedes. Three men were arrested immediately and a fourth fled, but was caught.

Mr Amar and his family had moved to the Hancocks Mount area of the town two months ago. Yesterday forensic teams were checking the multimillion-pound mansion block where the businessman lived, to check whether he had been held and attacked there. The van had been pulled over at about 1pm. Thirty-seven minutes later, officers discovered Mr Amar in a sack. Paramedics tried to revive him but he was pronounced dead at 2pm.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed that it would not be investigating why police took so long to realise that Mr Amar was in the van. The IPCC said it was a reasonable amount of time, given that the officers had had to deal with four suspects.

The four men, all now charged with murder, are aged 24, 26, 54 and 56. They remain in police custody.