Alex Ustych represents South Wales Police in long-running jury inquest into death by drowning

Alex Ustych represented South Wales Police (SWP) in a complex Article 2 jury inquest concerning the death of a young man, Alex Pavlou, following contact with three police officers while on a night out in Swansea city centre.

One of the central issues identified by the Coroner in the run-up to the inquest was the adequacy of police training and policies when dealing with an intoxicated individual.  Following approximately 4 weeks of evidence, the Coroner accepted SWP's submission that it would be unsafe to leave to the jury any conclusion critical of the first two officers' interactions with Mr. Pavlou or of SWP training, procedures or policies generally. 

The jury returned a narrative conclusion, focusing on the Local Authority's inadequate provision of lifebelts on the River Tawe bridge, which was found to have contributed to Mr. Pavlou's tragic death. The jury found that the actions of the third police officer (who was separately represented at the inquest), were not adequate but that the officer had no way of knowing of any "immediate and imminent" risk to Mr. Pavlou's life. 

​No Report to Prevent Future Deaths was issued in respect of SWP.

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Authors

Alex Ustych

Call 2010

Related areas

Inquests

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Police Law

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