POLICE WILL SAY SORRY TO SHOT MAN'S FAMILY

The family of an unarmed man shot dead by police at point-blank range in a
bungled drugs raid will receive a formal apology this week, more than five
years after the killing. The Chief Constable of Sussex, Ken Jones, will
travel to Liverpool on Thursday to apologise to relatives of James Ashley,
who was killed by a police marksman at his flat in St Leonards, near
Hastings, in January 1998.

The controversy surrounding the shooting led to the resignation in 2001 of
Jones's predecessor, Paul Whitehouse, after Home Secretary David Blunkett
intervened to say he should be sacked.

Ashley was naked in bed with his girlfriend when a four-man armed response
team stormed his flat at 4am on 15 January, 1998, after a tip-off about a
haul of drugs. Police intelligence suggested that Ashley was a potentially
armed and dangerous drug dealer. Only a small amount of cannabis and an air
pistol were found.

The police marksman who fired the shot, Chris Sherwood, was cleared of
murder at a trial in May 2001 and the three other officers involved in the
raid were cleared of neglect of duty.

But Whitehouse was roundly criticised for consistently backing the actions
of the four officers, especially when two were promoted after the acquittals.

Ironically, when Whitehouse finally resigned in June 2001 he joined calls
for a public inquiry, which he believed would have exonerated him. 'I have
always behaved honestly, with integrity throughout,' he said.

After lengthy negotiations with the Ashley family, Sussex police have
finally agreed the wording of an apology which will be read to the family
at a special gathering near their home in Liverpool at 10am on Thursday
morning. Ken Jones's apology has already been inscribed on James Ashley's
gravestone. It reads: ' On behalf of the force I apologise for the death of
James Ashley and wish to express my deepest sympathy to his entire family.'

The repercussions from the bungled raid were devastating for Sussex police,
which has struggled to rebuild its reputation under the new chief constable.

Ken Jones, who will be accompanied by a representative from the Sussex
police authority, has agreed to field questions from the family and
supporters, which are likely to include demands for a full public inquiry.

The meeting will be attended by James Ashley's elderly parents, Eileen and
Jimmy, as well as his brother Tony and sister Pauline, who have led the
campaign, and his 19-year-old son, James.

Pauline told The Observer that the family would accept the apology, but
would not rest until a full inquiry was set up into the case. 'As far as I
am concerned, they should have apologised five years ago, but this was
something my parents really wanted. It is very important that the police
have finally said he shouldn't have died.

'Some people think there's no smoke without fire, and this will mean the
whispering about James will finally stop.'