Now police probe a THIRD G20 complaint on day it emerges officer could face manslaughter charge following second post mortem result



A third incident involving the way the G20 protest was policed is being investigated, it has emerged.

The police complaints watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is already investigating two cases of alleged police violence at the April 1 and April 2 protests, one against a woman and one against a man who later collapsed and died.

Now a third complaint is being investigated from a 23-year-old London man who alleges he was assaulted by a Metropolitan Police officer. The man claimed he was assaulted at a police cordon on Cornhill in the City of London some time between 6pm and 7pm on April 1.



A spokesman for London's Scotland Yard police headquarters said: "I can confirm that a third complaint has been referred to the IPCC."



A still from a video shows Ian Tomlinson and police during the G20 protest

As Mr Tomlinson walks along with his hands in his pocket, an officer moves behind him

It comes as it was revealed that the policeman filmed shoving a man to the ground at the G20 protests could face a manslaughter charge.

The Metropolitan Police riot squad officer was interviewed yesterday on suspicion of killing Ian Tomlinson after a second post-mortem revealed he died from internal bleeding, and not a heart attack as first thought.

Further tests will follow but a file is likely to be passed to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Last night the Tomlinson family's lawyer said the new findings ' significantly increase' the likelihood that the officer will now face the more serious charge of manslaughter, rather than assault.



They have also raised serious questions about the initial Scotland Yard response to Mr Tomlinson's death, and the delays in handing over the investigation of the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Mr Tomlinson's stepson, Paul King, said the family hoped that the 'full truth' about how the 47-year-old died would be made known.



He said: 'First we were told there had been no contact with the police, then we were told that he died of a heart attack. Now we know he was violently assaulted by a police officer and died from internal bleeding.'

Questions are also certain to be asked about the controversial pathologist who carried out the first post-mortem examination.

Dr Freddy Patel, who has previously been disciplined by the General Medical Council, concluded that Mr Tomlinson died of a heart attack despite finding a 'substantial amount of blood' in his abdominal cavity.



The video shows the officer lunging at Mr Tomlinson, who immediately falls forward

A passer-by helps Mr Tomlinson while the officer, circled, stands in the distance

His 'provisional' conclusion was that Mr Tomlinson died of 'coronary artery disease' and said he had heart and liver diseases.

Concerned about the accuracy of the findings, both the family and the Independent Police Complaints Commission asked for another post-mortem examination to be carried out by the widely-respected Dr Nat Cary.

While Dr Cary found that Mr Tomlinson did suffer from heart disease, he decided that the condition was 'unlikely to have contributed to the cause of death'.

Instead, he concluded that an 'abdominal haemorrhage' killed Mr Tomlinson. The precise cause of that haemorrhage remains unknown until further tests are carried out.

Police give first aid as Mr Tomlinson lies dying near the Bank of England

Scotland Yard said it was unable to comment on the new findings due to the IPCC investigation but said it continued to 'co-operate fully' with the independent inquiry.

A spokesman said: 'The Metropolitan Police wishes to reiterate its sincere regret in relation to the death of Ian Tomlinson.'

Mr Tomlinson, a heavy drinker, died on April 1 amid the G20 protests near the Bank of England. The father of nine was not a protester and lived nearby in a hostel for the homeless.

G20 death: Police officers move Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests

At first, the official police version of events was that his death had no connection with the policing of the protest. Indeed, in the aftermath of Mr Tomlinson's collapse, Scotland Yard issued a statement describing how officers trying to help him were pelted with bottles by protesters.

On April 3, the City of London police said he had died of a heart attack. But on April 7 video footage taken by a New York fund manager emerged which showed him being hit on the legs with a baton and being shoved aggressively to the ground at 7.20pm. At 7.30, Mr Tomlinson collapsed and died.

It was not until the following day that the IPCC took over the investigation from the City of London Police force and Scotland Yard was forced into a damage limitation exercise, claiming it had never tried to mislead the public over the death.

The police constable who pushed him - an officer with the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group whose shoulder identification number appears to be missing in the film - was suspended from duty on April 9.

The IPCC confirmed last night that the officer had been interviewed under caution by their investigators and in the presence of his solicitor. This means that they are compiling a case file which will be passed to the Crown Prosecution Service,

Jules Carey, solicitor for Mr Tomlinson's widow Julia and his family, said that the family had known the findings of the second report for a week but had had to 'endure the holding back' of the results because of IPCC fears that it might prejudice their investigation.



Flowers left at the spot near the Bank of England, close to where Mr Tomlinson died

He said: 'The video footage of the unprovoked and vicious assault on Ian would easily justify charges of assault being brought against the officer.

'The findings of Dr Nat Cary significantly increase the likelihood that the officer will now face the more serious charge of manslaughter.'

The lawyer said the family hoped that the IPCC investigation 'will be expedited and thorough and that there will be a prompt referral to the Crown Prosecution Service for charge'.

Met chief Sir Paul Stephenson has already ordered a review into policing tactics at the protests. In all, 145 people have complained to the IPCC following the protests which coincided with the meeting of the G20 leaders in London.