Error on Police Statement
ACTING SERGEANT Wingrove Headley admitted to Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris that he made an error in his statement which he gave about the death of I’Akobi Maloney.
In that statement, Headley wrote that after Maloney fatally jumped off a cliff he took possession of his haversack which he said “contained the same black pants and grey shirt” and other items.
But the coroner drew it to his attention that he had previously said in his statement that Maloney put on those clothes in his presence and she asked him to clarify what he meant.
The officer explained that he meant that it was the bag which contained the clothes which Maloney had put on and that it was an error for him to use the word “same”.
The coroner then asked the policeman if he thought Maloney’s mental faculties were not intact why was he taking him to the police station and not where he could be evaluated. Headley stated that even though Maloney had co-operated with them he could not just let him go because of the information he received from the control room.
He also told the inquest that when Maloney ran away from him and Constable Walkes, he was too fast for them to catch, even though he was walking at arm’s length before he made the dash.
When asked by the coroner if he thought Maloney felt harassed by his questions, Headley stated that Maloney was co-operative and only seem bothered when he queried why they were asking him so many questions.
“Would you consider that the way you handled him put the fear of God into him and that led him to run away?” she asked, to which Headley responded “no”.
“Did you suggest, imply or infer that when he got to the station that he would be in danger of losing his life?” she continued.
“No,” said Headley.
Tags: Constable 1320 Walkes, error, Faith Marshall-Harris, haversack, mental faculties, statement, Wingrove Headley