The Tomlinson Inquest Verdict is In.

You've all heard this story.

At the anti-G20 protests in London on April 1st 2009 a man called Ian Tomlinson died. The initial autopsy was carried out by a Doctor Freddie Patel who ruled that Mr Tomlinson had died of a heart attack brought about by pre-existing coronary artery disease and a million stories circulated in the media attacking the reputation of the victim and the protesters. Then a video emerged showing Mr Tomlinson falling to the ground after being struck by a police officer moments before his death. Then two subsequent autopsies, carried out on behalf of Mr Tomlinson's family and the police officer, PC Simon Harwood ruled that Mr Tomlinson had in fact died of internal bleeding as a result of blunt force trauma of the sort you would get if you'd been struck by a police baton. However the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided that although it had been contradicted by two fellow professionals Dr Patel's evidence meant that they couldn't possibly prosecute PC Harwood for manslaughter.

It then emerged that Dr Patel had provided questionable autopsy findings in two other cases of deaths in custody. He was then brought in front of the General Medical Council (GMC) over another autopsy in which he had made a mistake that led to a serial killer known as the "Camden Ripper" going free long enough to kill another two women. Although he was found guilty of multiple counts of professional misconduct the GMC failed to strike him off the medical register - a move that would have prevented him from describing himself as a doctor ever again.

Then on March 28th 2011 Britain made a big show of opening a Coroner's Inquest into Mr Tomlinson's death at the specially chosen location of the International Dispute Resolution centre in order to show the world that Britain takes the killing of peaceful protesters or indeed people who happen to be walking past peaceful protests very seriously. To everyone's surprise the Coroner gave the Jury the option of returning a verdict of unlawful killing. Today (3/5/11) after considering all the evidence that is exactly what the Jury did ruling that PC Simon Harwood unlawfully killed Ian Tomlinson.

The CPS reacted to the verdict by saying that they will review their decision not to prosecute PC Harwood for manslaughter. It is a shame then that by presenting all this evidence to the inquest and in doing so prejudicing any future criminal trial the British state have made very sure that PC Harwood will never be brought to justice.