A POLICE officer was unable to find a knife on Sheku Bayoh – with a search revealing he was carrying a packet of chewing gum and a mobile phone, the inquiry into his death heard today.
Giving evidence on Thursday morning, Pc Ashley Tomlinson said he had been asked by colleague Pc Craig Walker to “check for a knife”.
The pair were responding to calls from members of the public about a black man acting “erratically” with a large blade in Hayfield Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, on Sunday May 3, 2015.
Bayoh was placed in leg restraints and Pc Tomlinson told Angela Graham QC, senior counsel to the inquiry, he was then able to carry out a search.
Grahame asked Pc Tomlinson what he did after Bayoh’s legs were restrained.
He said: “I went to his side. I don’t know if it was left or right but I’ve gone to a side so that when we rolled Mr Bayoh on to his side, it gave me access to assist in the roll and carry out a search.”
Pc Tomlinson told the inquiry Bayoh was rolled onto his left side.
He added: “Whatever side it was on, I searched the pocket of the opposite side.
Grahame asked Pc Tomlinson what he was looking for.
Pc Tomlinson said: “A knife.”
He was then asked what he found.
Pc Tomlinson replied: “Chewing gum. That was in his right trouser pocket.
“There was also a gold mobile phone.
“I don’t remember that coming out of his pocket, so I don’t know if that was Mr Bayoh’s or a member of the public’s or one of the officer’s.”
Grahame asked him if he had found a knife, with Pc Tomlinson saying he had not but did not have time to check Bayoh’s other pocket.
Pc Tomlinson was asked about the position Bayoh was in prior to being restrained with the leg straps.
He described it as a “press-up position” or a “bench press”.
Grahame asked Pc Tomlinson how Bayoh was able to throw off three officers restraining him.
She asked: “How was he managing to do that?”
Pc Tomlinson replied: “Just with like that press-up position.”
He said Bayoh lost consciousness soon after being rolled onto his side, with officers starting CPR “almost immediately” after he stopped breathing.
The serving officer said Pc Walker told him he heard some of Bayoh’s ribs break during procedure.
The inquiry, before Lord Bracadale, continues and will hear from Akhtar Ali, a member of the public, on Thursday afternoon before returning to Pc Tomlinson’s evidence.
