Sunday, September 08, 2024
Delayed justice could cost lives
The paper says that the Inquiry into the 2017 fire, which claimed 72 lives, blamed “decades of failure” by those in power and "systematic dishonesty" from building firms for the tragedy, and as a result police are under pressure to speed up the criminal probe into the Grenfell disaster as families have already waited seven years for the Inquiry's findings.
Shockingly, the Metropolitan Police has said it needs from 12 to 18 months to study the report before any criminal charges are brought, while Lord Macdonald, a former Director of Public Prosecutions has warned that criminal trials may not start before 2029, with verdicts only being returned the following year.
Potential offences include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, perverting the course of justice, misconduct in public office, health and safety offences, fraud, and offences under the fire safety and building regulations:
"Unless processes are massively expedited, justice is a very long way away," he (MscDonald) told the Guardian. "The criminal justice system is still suffering terribly from austerity cuts, which did enormous damage.
"The upshot is that it now takes years for cases to come to trial after charge. Criminal cases arising out of Grenfell are likely to be many and complex.
"The Crown Prosecution Service is speaking of charging decisions in 2026. This is probably optimistic. But even if it is right, on current trial schedules, it could be two or three years later before trials can be heard. Some are potentially talking about 2028, 2029."
Emma O'Connor, a disabled resident who escaped the tower but lost two friends on the night, told the Mirror that more lives could be destroyed by delays.
She said: "What you're doing by delaying this even longer is putting us through trauma and still letting [manufacturers] make money and another Grenfell will happen.
"Another Grenfell can and will happen. They've been able to make money selling this dangerous cladding. It's not fair on lives that could be destroyed like ours were.
"[The Met Police] said [charges would be brought] in 2026 and I was willing to accept that but now this is coming out. It's too long [to wait till 2029 for criminal trials]. They've got all the evidence they need.
"I don't know how much more evidence they need to keep it watertight. It's not good enough."
Deputy PM Angela Rayner has backed the police to bring forward criminal prosecutions swiftly. She said on Thursday: “We can’t have a situation where justice is delayed because that is justice denied, so as quickly as possible the Met Police will carry out their investigation and we’ve got to support that process.”
What is also disturbing is that many buildings are still at risk because government ministers in England and Wales have dragged their heels in forcing owners to remove dangerous cladding. Isn't it about time that was sorted out.
