| Revision as of 05:13, 11 July 2020 editHelper201 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users85,522 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 14:48, 26 March 2024 edit undoSchroCat (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers113,032 edits →Alwyn Sawyer's trial | ||
| (8 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown) | |||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''Henry Foley''' (died 12 February 1985) was a 67-year-old retired bus driver from ], ], in ], who died from injuries inflicted by a police officer while in custody. Sergeant Alwyn Sawyer, his assailant, was convicted of manslaughter |
'''Henry Foley''' (died 12 February 1985) was a 67-year-old retired bus driver from ], ], in ], who died from injuries inflicted by a police officer while in custody. Sergeant Alwyn Sawyer of ], his assailant, was convicted of manslaughter. It was the only case of a British police officer being convicted of killing someone in custody prior to PC Benjamin Monk's conviction for the manslaughter of ] in 2021.<ref name="guardian 2012"> | ||
| {{cite news|title = Ian Tomlinson's family faced with two contradictory verdicts|first=Paul|last=Lewis|authorlink=Paul Lewis (journalist)|work=]|location=London|date=19 July 2012|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jul/19/ian-tomlinson-two-contradictory-verdicts|accessdate=20 May 2014}}</ref> | {{cite news|title = Ian Tomlinson's family faced with two contradictory verdicts|first=Paul|last=Lewis|authorlink=Paul Lewis (journalist)|work=]|location=London|date=19 July 2012|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jul/19/ian-tomlinson-two-contradictory-verdicts|accessdate=20 May 2014}}</ref> | ||
| ==Arrest and death== | ==Arrest and death== | ||
| On 11 February 1985 Foley, a widower from Pitt Street, Southport, had been playing dominoes and drinking at Southport Railway Club with his long |
On 11 February 1985 Foley, a widower from Pitt Street, Southport, had been playing dominoes and drinking at Southport Railway Club with his long-standing friend Frederick Rigby. Describing Foley's state on leaving, Rigby said: "He was merry. It was not my view that he was drunk."<ref name="visiter 11 april">{{cite news|title=Boot Print on Dead Man's Shirt|work=Southport Visiter|date=11 April 1986|url=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0iC5hqaK_oE/U3okaO-7wVI/AAAAAAAAANo/kP3UTBk29wU/s1600/Visiter+11+april+1986.jpg|accessdate=20 May 2014}}</ref> Outside the club Foley was arrested for being drunk and incapable, arriving at the town's police station shortly after midnight. Police intended to release Foley before 6am on 12 February but because he refused to mop up some urine in his cell it was decided to detain him further.<ref name="visiter 11 april" /> | ||
| At 7am Sergeant Ivor Richardson took over the duty of ]. At approximately 7.40 am he went to release Foley but was allegedly subjected to a sustained attack. It was claimed that Foley hit him in the face and he fell over, banging his head, with Foley continuing to punch and kick him. Sergeant Richardson crawled into the corridor shouting for help. Other officers rushed to the scene and overpowered Foley, cuffed his hands behind his back and returned him to the cell.<ref name="guardian 19 april">{{cite news|title = Police Sergeant is Gaoled for Killing Prisoner|work=]|location=London|date=19 April 1986|url=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JOzgf-iuju4/U3olWXkZbAI/AAAAAAAAAOg/Jbzpv3UVuTo/s1600/Alwyn-Sawyer-2-001.jpg|accessdate=20 May 2014}}</ref> Richardson was taken to hospital with facial injuries, and his duties were taken by Sergeant Alwyn Sawyer. The 45-year-old Sawyer had served in Southport police since 1962, in which time he had received a commendation for plainclothes work, as well as a ] medal for saving five men from a fire in 1978.<ref name="guardian 19 april" /> | At 7am Sergeant Ivor Richardson took over the duty of ]. At approximately 7.40 am he went to release Foley but was allegedly subjected to a sustained attack. It was claimed that Foley hit him in the face and he fell over, banging his head, with Foley continuing to punch and kick him. Sergeant Richardson crawled into the corridor shouting for help. Other officers rushed to the scene and overpowered Foley, cuffed his hands behind his back and returned him to the cell.<ref name="guardian 19 april">{{cite news|title = Police Sergeant is Gaoled for Killing Prisoner|work=]|location=London|date=19 April 1986|url=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JOzgf-iuju4/U3olWXkZbAI/AAAAAAAAAOg/Jbzpv3UVuTo/s1600/Alwyn-Sawyer-2-001.jpg|accessdate=20 May 2014}}</ref> Richardson was taken to hospital with facial injuries, and his duties were taken by Sergeant Alwyn Sawyer. The 45-year-old Sawyer had served in Southport police since 1962, in which time he had received a commendation for plainclothes work, as well as a ] medal for saving five men from a fire in 1978.<ref name="guardian 19 april" /> | ||
| Sergeant Sawyer went into the cell where Foley still had his hands cuffed behind his back. Sawyer's repeated stamping or kicking of Foley's abdomen damaged Foley's spleen |
Sergeant Sawyer went into the cell where Foley still had his hands cuffed behind his back. Sawyer's repeated stamping or kicking of Foley's abdomen damaged Foley's spleen causing a complete rupture of the small bowel.<ref name="guardian 10 april">{{cite news|title = Pensioner Died After 'Brutal Police Assault'|work=]|location=London|date = 10 April 1986|url = http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lxN9OCpSZzc/U3ok6-1AM7I/AAAAAAAAAOA/f0gDyhWfYwI/s1600/Alwyn-Sawyer1-001.jpg|accessdate = 20 May 2014}}</ref> and total detachment of his left kidney.<ref name="guardian 19 april" /> Foley also sustained bruising to the head and chest.<ref name="guardian 10 april" /> Later in the morning two detectives saw Foley complaining of stomach pain and asking for a doctor. A police surgeon examined him around midday and sent him to hospital where he died at 7.45 pm from a ] as a result of his injuries.<ref name="guardian 19 april" /> | ||
| Sawyer visited Sergeant Ivor Richardson in hospital, telling his colleague, "you are well covered and well out of it." Two days later Richardson spoke to Sawyer on the phone, asking "did you give Foley a good wellying?" Sawyer replied: "You have nothing to worry about."<ref name="visiter 11 april" /> | Sawyer visited Sergeant Ivor Richardson in hospital, telling his colleague, "you are well covered and well out of it." Two days later Richardson spoke to Sawyer on the phone, asking "did you give Foley a good wellying?" Sawyer replied: "You have nothing to worry about."<ref name="visiter 11 april" /> | ||
| Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
| | accessdate = 20 May 2014}}</ref> He was charged with murder. | | accessdate = 20 May 2014}}</ref> He was charged with murder. | ||
| In February 1986, Sawyer stood trial at ] |
In February 1986, Sawyer stood trial at ]. He pleaded not guilty, but did not take the witness box to give any explanation of what happened to Foley, nor his part in it.<ref name="guardian 19 april" /> The prosecution suggested that assault was retribution for attacking Richardson, who had been celebrating his 25th anniversary as a police officer on the day Foley assaulted him.<ref name="visiter 18 april" /> | ||
| On 18 February 1986 the jury took just over four hours to reach a verdict of |
On 18 February 1986 the jury took just over four hours to reach a verdict of not guilty of murder but guilty of ]. ] sentenced him to seven years saying: "This is, of course, a tragic day for you, but this was a gross act."<ref name="visiter 23 april" /> | ||
| Henry Foley's daughter Collette Major praised the investigating officers from Cumbria police. Citing family members who were police officers, she said: "The enquiry was the sort of policing you are brought up to believe in when you are a little child," and said she felt that Sawyer's sentence was reasonable.<ref name="visiter 23 april" /> | Henry Foley's daughter Collette Major praised the investigating officers from Cumbria police. Citing family members who were police officers, she said: "The enquiry was the sort of policing you are brought up to believe in when you are a little child," and said she felt that Sawyer's sentence was reasonable.<ref name="visiter 23 april" /> | ||
| Line 47: | Line 47: | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Latest revision as of 14:48, 26 March 2024
| Henry Foley | |
|---|---|
| Died | (1985-02-12)12 February 1985 Southport, Merseyside, England |
| Occupation | Bus driver (retired) |
| Known for | Death caused by police action |
Henry Foley (died 12 February 1985) was a 67-year-old retired bus driver from Southport, Merseyside, in England, who died from injuries inflicted by a police officer while in custody. Sergeant Alwyn Sawyer of Merseyside Police, his assailant, was convicted of manslaughter. It was the only case of a British police officer being convicted of killing someone in custody prior to PC Benjamin Monk's conviction for the manslaughter of Dalian Atkinson in 2021.
Arrest and death
On 11 February 1985 Foley, a widower from Pitt Street, Southport, had been playing dominoes and drinking at Southport Railway Club with his long-standing friend Frederick Rigby. Describing Foley's state on leaving, Rigby said: "He was merry. It was not my view that he was drunk." Outside the club Foley was arrested for being drunk and incapable, arriving at the town's police station shortly after midnight. Police intended to release Foley before 6am on 12 February but because he refused to mop up some urine in his cell it was decided to detain him further.
At 7am Sergeant Ivor Richardson took over the duty of custody officer. At approximately 7.40 am he went to release Foley but was allegedly subjected to a sustained attack. It was claimed that Foley hit him in the face and he fell over, banging his head, with Foley continuing to punch and kick him. Sergeant Richardson crawled into the corridor shouting for help. Other officers rushed to the scene and overpowered Foley, cuffed his hands behind his back and returned him to the cell. Richardson was taken to hospital with facial injuries, and his duties were taken by Sergeant Alwyn Sawyer. The 45-year-old Sawyer had served in Southport police since 1962, in which time he had received a commendation for plainclothes work, as well as a Royal Humane Society medal for saving five men from a fire in 1978.
Sergeant Sawyer went into the cell where Foley still had his hands cuffed behind his back. Sawyer's repeated stamping or kicking of Foley's abdomen damaged Foley's spleen causing a complete rupture of the small bowel. and total detachment of his left kidney. Foley also sustained bruising to the head and chest. Later in the morning two detectives saw Foley complaining of stomach pain and asking for a doctor. A police surgeon examined him around midday and sent him to hospital where he died at 7.45 pm from a heart attack as a result of his injuries.
Sawyer visited Sergeant Ivor Richardson in hospital, telling his colleague, "you are well covered and well out of it." Two days later Richardson spoke to Sawyer on the phone, asking "did you give Foley a good wellying?" Sawyer replied: "You have nothing to worry about."
Alwyn Sawyer's trial
Cumbria police were brought in to investigate. Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Stainton interviewed Sawyer 12 days after Foley died. Asked if he had ever punched, kicked, stood on, stamped on or kneeled on Foley in any way, Sawyer said, 'no, to each part of the question - I didn't go into the cell'. He offered no alternative explanation for how Foley sustained the injuries.
Foley's shirt had a footprint on the abdomen. Forensic examination showed the only one at the police station it could match was Alwyn Sawyer's left boot. He was charged with murder.
In February 1986, Sawyer stood trial at Manchester Crown Court. He pleaded not guilty, but did not take the witness box to give any explanation of what happened to Foley, nor his part in it. The prosecution suggested that assault was retribution for attacking Richardson, who had been celebrating his 25th anniversary as a police officer on the day Foley assaulted him.
On 18 February 1986 the jury took just over four hours to reach a verdict of not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. Mr Justice MacPherson sentenced him to seven years saying: "This is, of course, a tragic day for you, but this was a gross act."
Henry Foley's daughter Collette Major praised the investigating officers from Cumbria police. Citing family members who were police officers, she said: "The enquiry was the sort of policing you are brought up to believe in when you are a little child," and said she felt that Sawyer's sentence was reasonable.
References
- Lewis, Paul (19 July 2012). "Ian Tomlinson's family faced with two contradictory verdicts". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ "Boot Print on Dead Man's Shirt". Southport Visiter. 11 April 1986. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ "Police Sergeant is Gaoled for Killing Prisoner". The Guardian. London. 19 April 1986. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ "Pensioner Died After 'Brutal Police Assault'". The Guardian. London. 10 April 1986. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ "Accused Sergeant: Verdict is Near". Southport Visiter. 18 April 1986. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- ^ "Seven Years for Killing Prisoner". Midweek Visiter. 23 April 1986. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
