Burnham shines highlight on ‘very serious issues’ in metropolis’s police pressure

Greater Manchester’s mayor has vowed to hunt the reality about his police pressure after an harmless man spent 17 years in jail for rape.

Andy Burnham has additionally pledged to research allegations {that a} lady was strip-searched and sexually assaulted whereas in custody.

There are claims of comparable mistreatment in the direction of two others.

This week Andrew Malkinson, 57, of Grimsby, was lastly cleared of rape by the Court of Appeal after DNA linked one other man. Mr Malkinson mentioned the years inside took “a heavy toll”.

But he mentioned the sufferer of the violent assault in Little Hulton in July 2003 was “let down”.

He added: “She thought that I was the perpetrator because she was traumatised when she picked me out of the parade.”

Mr Burnham needs to shine a highlight on the north-west pressure which solely final October got here out of particular measures.

Asked yesterday about Greater Manchester Police’s function in Mr Malkinson’s case, he mentioned: “There are very serious issues, this is a terrible miscarriage of justice. I will certainly be going through in detail the issues arising from the court judgment very carefully.”

But Mr Burnham, proper, additionally raised issues over GMP relating to claims girls have been assaulted whereas in custody.

Zayna Iman, 38, has waived her anonymity and alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted when held in 2021 on welfare grounds over cocaine use. She says police binned very important hours of CCTV.

GMP has referred the case to the police watchdog however Mr Burnham has introduced Dame Vera Baird KC, a former victims commissioner, would examine.

Mr Burnham mentioned: “If there is wrongdoing, that will have to be called out and people will have to be held to account.”

Another lady says police have been heavy-handed after she complained over failure to probe allegations of sexual abuse. A 3rd claims she was strip-searched when held for swearing at police in a name.

GMP Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods mentioned: “We understand and share the ­concerns of the public.”