Civil claims arising out of the Grenfell Tower fire and Grenfell Tower Inquiry
Catriona was part of the team acting for bereaved families, survivors and residents affected by the Grenfell Tower fire in their civil claims and in the public inquiry. She was closely involved in the organisation of Testimony Week, which formed part of the Settlement Agreement.
Inquest into the death of Gareth Chumber-Kelly
Catriona acted for the family of Gareth Chumber-Kelly, who died at HMP Pentonville in 2023. The jury returned a narrative conclusion which was highly critical of the care that Gareth received from staff at the prison, giving finding that he “was not given the necessary support to preserve his life”. Following the inquest, the Coroner made a Preventing Future Deaths report raising a number of serious concerns, including that there had been no suicide or self-harm training for staff at HMP Pentonville since before the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the fact that 38% of men arriving at the prison said they felt suicidal and that 7 prisoners had died by ligature suspension in the establishment since June 2021. See the INQUEST press release here and media reporting here.
AB v Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police
Catriona acted for AB, a young woman who was subject to a stop, detention, restraint and use of Taser by officers from Avon and Somerset Police in August 2020. Her interaction with the police arose from her call to a mental health crisis line in which she sought support as she was feeling suicidal. Instead of providing that support, officers responded in an oppressive manner, subjecting her to a violent detention, handcuffing and discharge of a Taser which Avon and Somerset Police eventually admitted was unlawful. B’s case against Avon and Somerset Police, for false imprisonment, assault and battery and breach of her rights under the Human Rights Act 1998 (Articles, 3, 5, 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights) settled for a substantial sum of compensation and a written apology.
CD v a police force
CD was the victim of a multi-perpetrator sexual assault. She reported the incident to the police and the following day two of the suspects were arrested and critical evidence seized. As a result of significant and unjustifiable delays on the part of the police, that evidence was not properly identified and considered for a period of nineteen months. Further delays meant that the case file was not submitted to the CPS for another two years. By the time charges were authorised, two of the suspects had left the jurisdiction and there was no means by which to compel them to return to face criminal prosecution. The police force agreed to pay CD substantial damages.
Child X
Catriona acts for Child X, a black teenager who was subject to a stop and arrest by armed police in the streets outside his home on an afternoon in July 2023. The arrest followed a decision by a local police officer to call in a potential firearms incident after he had seen Child X playing with a plastic water pistol with his younger sister. The IOPC settled a judicial review claim quashing their decision to find no case to answer for discrimination in respect of the officer who called the matter in as a firearms incident. The civil case is ongoing.
