Sheku Bayoh’s family facing ‘despicable’ racism, says inquiry chair

Bayoh’s sister Kadi Johnson (second from left) said she had received abusive messages ‘even up to last night’, while the family’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar (left) received a threat to ‘blow his brains out’. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

The chair of the public inquiry into the death in police custody of Sheku Bayoh has condemned as “despicable” the racist abuse directed towards the family of the deceased man.

In his opening remarks as the inquiry entered its second stage on Tuesday morning, Lord Bracadale said: “Recently it has been reported to me that the family of Sheku Bayoh and their solicitor have been subjected to racist abuse. I am sure that everyone associated with this inquiry will agree with me that such behaviour is despicable and entirely unacceptable. In some instances, it may amount to hate crime.”