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Tottenham Three - new evidence considered

01 January 1991

Tottenham Three - new evidence considered
artdoc July=1991

The Home Secretary, Kenneth Baker, has announced that the
Court of Appeal is to consider new evidence on the mental
condition of Engin Raghip, one of the three men convicted of
the murder in 1985 of PC Keith Blakelock. But Mr. Baker, in a
Commons written answer, has said that there were no grounds to
refer back the cases of Winston Silcott or Mark Braithwaite.
He was prepared, however, `to consider any further
representations about the safety of the convictions' (Guardian
5.12.90).
But Mark Braithwaite's solicitor, Danny Simpson, has
suggested that the Home Office review of the PC Blakelock
murder case has failed to investigate vital new evidence on
behalf of Mark Braithwaite. A police document withheld from
the trial suggests that Braithwaite confessed whilst suffering
an acute panic attack brought about by claustrophobia. Police
custody records of Braithwaite's detention, record a complaint
made by Braithwaite about the `claustrophobic dimensions of
his cell'. (Observer 9.12.90)
Meanwhile, PC Perry Cockram, who interviewed a
13-year-old boy about the murder of PC Keith Blakelock, has
been found not guilty of any disciplinary offences by an
internal tribunal (Independent 13.12.90; Telegraph 13.12.90;
Morning Star 13.12.90).

IRR Police-Media Bulletin no 66. Institute of Race Relations,
2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS