Inquiry into death of Sheku Bayoh hears officer deny wanting to join BNP

A constabulary serviceman progressive successful the apprehension of Sheku Bayoh has denied wanting to articulation a far-right organisation arsenic a teenager.

The pre-recorded grounds of Alan Paton, who has since retired from Police Scotland, was played to the enquiry into the decease of Bayoh, which occurred successful Kirkcaldy, Fife, successful 2015 portion helium was being detained by police.

During the 20-minute recording, Paton denied claims helium wanted to articulation the British National enactment arsenic a teenager, and besides denied making racist remarks to an Asian household who lived adjacent him and utilizing different racist language.

Paton described the claims, made by his sister Karen Swan, arsenic “not existent successful its entirety” and “an full batch of made-up nonsense”.

Bayoh, 31, died aft helium was restrained connected the crushed by aggregate officers. The enquiry into his decease is examining whether contention was a factor.

Paton and chap serviceman Craig Walker were archetypal connected the country aft reports Bayoh had been carrying a weapon and attacking vehicles.

The enquiry has antecedently heard that erstwhile they arrived, they rapidly deployed their incapacitant sprays connected unarmed Bayoh, and Walker said the state technologist was “clearly successful immoderate benignant of rage oregon zombie stare”.

Sheku Bayoh died aft helium was restrained connected the crushed by aggregate officers. Photograph: Family Handout/PA

In the signaling played to the inquiry, Angela Grahame KC work retired a connection from Swan which said: “I would similar to spell backmost to erstwhile Alan was a teenager. My mum told maine astatine the clip that Alan has said helium wanted to articulation the BNP and she had told him she would disown him if helium did.

“Alan utilized to marque racist remarks to the Asian household that lived circular the corner. He was ne'er convulsive towards them but helium was rather vocal.

“If they passed by him helium would marque racist comments towards them. I don’t cognize thing other astir him joining the BNP.”

Paton denied the claims, and said: “The full paragraph’s not true. I’ve got thing further to adhd than what I person successful my connection that was submitted a fewer days ago.”

Asked by the enquiry chair, Lord Bracadale, if helium had joined the far-right BNP, Paton told him: “No”.

A connection from Paton’s brother-in-law Barry Swan was besides work to the inquiry. He said his woman had told him Paton had wanted to articulation the BNP erstwhile helium was 16.

The enquiry was told Swan said: “There was a fewer comments, oregon off-the-cuff remarks, made by Alan implicit the aboriginal years which I took to beryllium jovial and humorous.”

He said determination was “no malice oregon vindictiveness surrounding these comments”.

Paton denied making specified remarks.

The erstwhile constabulary serviceman told the enquiry that Bayoh, a begetter of two, “uttered not 1 word” portion helium was being restrained successful Hayfield Road.

Paton said: “From my archetypal engagement with him to the decision of my involvement, helium remained silent. The lone screams I heard was that of [police officer] Nicole Short.”

He was work the witnesser connection of Ashley Wise, who saw the arrest, which said she saw “a antheral going down to the crushed with astir six constabulary officers astir him” and that “the antheral kept making roaring noises and shouting thing akin to ‘Get disconnected me’”.

Paton said she was mistaken and that Bayoh did not marque the noise.

The enquiry continues.