Scottish justice system ‘institutionally racist’, lawyer tells Bayoh inquiry

Aamer Anwar also told the inquiry that providing free legal advice to the family of Mr Bayoh, who died in police custody, jeopardised his business. Mr Bayoh, 31, a father of two, died after he was restrained on the ground by police officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on May 3 2015. The inquiry has been investigating the circumstances of his death and whether race was a factor. His family were provided with pro-bono legal assistance by human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar for five years, before an inquiry was announced, and Mr Anwar paid tribute to Mr Bayoh, who would have celebrated his 41st birthday on Monday, praising the family’s “tenacity and perseverance”. Mr Anwar, 56, originally from Liverpool, branded the Scottish justice system “institutionally racist” and said “at least 50%” of his workload was taken up by the case. He said he was warned by Imran Khan KC, who represented the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, “not to respond” to racism. He also said he was warned by Michael Mansfield KC: “It’s fine for me, I’m white, I’m middle-class. I’m seen as a knight in shining armour who rides to the rescue of poor, vulnerable black people. But when you...