A father who said he had lost confidence in the police complaints organisation investigating his son’s death says he may now resume co-operation following their latest meeting.
Mohammed Yaqub, 59, of Crosland Moor, whose son Yassar died after being shot by armed police at Ainley Top in a pre-planned operation, told the Examiner last month that his family would no longer co-operate with the Independent Police Complaints Commission team investigating the incident on January 2.
The family and its legal representatives had a disastrous meeting with the IPCC team after a meeting in Birmingham on April 12, with Mr Yaqub describing it as a “waste of time” and saying he had learned “nothing whatsoever.”
He claimed he had been given ‘facts’ which were incorrect.
Yassar, 28, was shot through the windscreen of his Audi car following a hard stop on the M62 after a tip-off he was carrying an illegal gun.
A gun was later found in the footwell of the passenger seat where he had been sitting.
Mr Yaqub said he and members of his family and his legal team, met IPCC deputy chairman, Rachel Cerfontyne, and chief operating officer, Ian Todd, in London for an hour-and-a-half on Monday.
Mr Yaqub said: “I felt that it was constructive, so, yes, this was definitely an improvement.
“I had refused to co-operate because I thought I was getting incorrect information and they were failing to answer questions that the law allowed them to answer.
“I was not happy with them. The people I met on Monday were more reassuring. They will now come back to us. It’s up to them. The onus is on them.
“Everything now depends on the outcome of what they say as to how we will co-operate in the future.”
An IPCC spokeswoman said: “The IPCC’s deputy chairman, Rachel Cerfontyne, and chief operating officer, Ian Todd, met with members of Yassar Yaqub’s family and their solicitor on Monday, June 5.
“Mr Yaqub expressed his views about the ongoing IPCC investigation. These were listened to and Mr Yaqub was assured that any concerns he has will continue to be considered throughout the investigation as it progresses.
“This is an independent investigation which must look at every available angle. We will continue to be thorough and rigorous in our work and we share the thoughts of Yassar’s family, the local community and everyone affected by this incident in aiming to conclude this investigation as soon as possible.”
