Gareth Naylor, Director and Head of Personal Injury and Inquests, confirms he has been formally instructed to act on behalf of the family of the late Stevie Brown.
The family has issued the following statement in response to the recent public appeal by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC):
Press Statement On Behalf Of The Family Of Stevie Brown
We, the family of Stevie Brown, are deeply disappointed by the recent public appeal issued by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) seeking witnesses in relation to Stevie’s death.
Lancashire Constabulary officers were called to reports of a man (Stevie) refusing to leave a cinema, at approximately 11.28pm on 11 July. Officers detained Stevie under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act a few hours later at Holmes Mill complex in Clitheroe and a decision was made to transport him in a police van to Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Stevie’s behaviour deteriorated further at the hospital and a decision was made to return him into the back of a police van – the police van was parked in the ambulance bay at the A&E department at the hospital.
Stevie was discovered unresponsive at 6.35am, CPR was commenced by medical staff with resuscitation efforts continuing until 7:35am when a clinical decision was made to cease CPR, and he was sadly declared deceased.
Enquiries have revealed that a woman spoke to Stevie at the Holmes Mill Complex prior to the police arriving, and that NHS staff both inside A&E and in the ambulance bay witnessed the contact police had with the man while at the hospital.
We believe these people will be able to assist with our enquiries.
The IOPC has stated that police officers made certain checks on Stevie prior to his death, yet they are unable to confirm these actions until their investigation is complete. This contradiction raises serious concerns about the transparency and independence of the IOPC’s investigation.
For an organisation tasked with holding the police to account, it is unacceptable to make public assertions that appear to support the police narrative while those facts are still under investigation. This approach undermines public confidence and, more importantly, adds to the distress of a grieving family seeking truth and accountability.
The IOPC has faced ongoing criticism in recent years for its failure to demonstrate true independence from the police. Sadly, this latest appeal only reinforces those concerns.
We urge the IOPC to conduct a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation – one that prioritises the facts over assumptions and respects the rights of families like ours to seek justice without bias or delay.
We also make a heartfelt appeal to the public: if you saw Stevie in the hours before his death, or have any information (no matter how small it may seem) please come forward. Your voice could be vital in helping us understand what happened and in ensuring accountability.
Witnesses can contact our legal representatives at:
Gareth Naylor
Director / Head of Personal Injury and Inquests
gareth.naylor@isonharrison.co.uk
0113 284 5014
Or contact the IOPC directly at:
enquiries@policeconduct.gov.uk
Stevie deserves the truth. And we, as his family, deserve answers.
