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Mikey Powell: died after 'collision' with a police car

Court hears conflicting evidence about Mikey Powell's last hours

Witness testimony at the Michael 'Mikey' Powell trial has done much to muddy the waters as to what happened on September 7, 2003, the night the 38-year-old Birmingham man lost his life after being apprehended by the police.

Ten West Midlands police officers are on trial at Leicester Crown Court charged in connection with the death of Powell.

During the course of the trial, which has been going on for several weeks, the jury has heard recordings that suggest the arresting officers knew that Powell was unwell when he was brought into Thornhill Road police station after being involved in a collision with a squad car.

Powell had also been sprayed with CS gas and restrained by at least half a dozen officers during the incident which took place outside his home in Lozells, Birmingham.

Powell is a cousin of the poet Benjamin Zephaniah.

Evidence presented by both the prosecution and defence counsels suggest that Powell was in an emotionally charged state when his mother raised the alarm, asking that police come to the family home.

However a collision took place involving a police car occupied by PC Tim Lewis and David Hadley shortly after the officers arrived on the scene. Following the incident, Powell was taken to a police station before being transported to hospital where he died later that night.

Statements given by PCs Lewis and Hadley offer varying opinions as to whether Powell was experiencing a mental breakdown and/or carrying a firearm on the night in question.

CLASHING EVIDENCE

Evidence given by two witnesses living in the Lozells community did little to clarify matters for the all-white jury.

Mohammed Hussein Jafari thought that Powell was exhibiting aggressive behaviour and could well have been concealing a gun behind his back. Minh Le, another witness, said Mikey had his hands by his sides.

The commotion created between Powell and the police that night prompted Jafari to watch from his front room where he claims he saw Powell approach the squad car.

Speaking with the help of an interpreter, Jafari said: "I heard a noise. It sounded like a window of the car was being broken. The car reversed. I think they got frightened. I thought he might have had something like a gun or something."

Jafari claims Powell was restrained for between 10 to 15 minutes. Powell was walking around the car smashing windows. Under cross-examination Jafari agreed with PC Lewis and Hadley's counsel saying that Powell was aggressive and "very angry".

Minh Le did not think Powell was aggressive, saying that he saw the car driven by Lewis and Hadley strike him.

"I saw him go onto the bonnet and fall off," he said.

Minh Le said that Powell's hands were by his side. During questioning by defence counsel Neil Saunders QC, Le added that: "one person was sitting on top of him. When I saw him he was on his front ... He was always on his front at all times until the van arrived."

All ten West Midlands Police officers pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial continues.

Published: 06 June 2006
Issue: 1221

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