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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/dec/11/grenfell-tower-police-investigating-corporate-manslaughter-offences
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| Grenfell Tower: police investigating corporate manslaughter offences | Grenfell Tower: police investigating corporate manslaughter offences |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Criminal offences of manslaughter, corporate manslaughter, misconduct in public office and breaches of fire safety legislation are being considered by the police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire. | Criminal offences of manslaughter, corporate manslaughter, misconduct in public office and breaches of fire safety legislation are being considered by the police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire. |
| Updating the public inquiry on the progress of the parallel police inquiry, Jeremy Johnson QC, for the Metropolitan police, told a hearing in London that 31m documents had been obtained. | Updating the public inquiry on the progress of the parallel police inquiry, Jeremy Johnson QC, for the Metropolitan police, told a hearing in London that 31m documents had been obtained. |
| A total of 187 officers and civilian staff were working on the police investigation, the scale of which was unprecedented outside of a counter-terrorist operation. | A total of 187 officers and civilian staff were working on the police investigation, the scale of which was unprecedented outside of a counter-terrorist operation. |
| Nearly 4,000 separate lines of inquiry had been generated by the witness statements and documents examined so far, Johnson said. | Nearly 4,000 separate lines of inquiry had been generated by the witness statements and documents examined so far, Johnson said. |
| The inquiry opened on Monday for hearings into the fire in London in June that killed 71 people. The two-day session will focus on case management issues, such as time frames, witnesses and the disclosure of evidence. | |
| In the first public submission from lawyers representing survivors and the bereaved, Danny Friedman QC said the inquiry must strive to gain their confidence. | In the first public submission from lawyers representing survivors and the bereaved, Danny Friedman QC said the inquiry must strive to gain their confidence. |
| “Survivors and the bereaved must be placed at the centre or heart of this process,” said Friedman, who represents more than 60 bereaved family members. “That does not mean that you [the inquiry’s chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick] should be biased in their favour. | |
| “I have repeatedly been told that what my clients need is a restoration of their human dignity … You can’t learn at school how to conduct the Grenfell Tower inquiry. There’s no substitute for being eternally curious about the fire, and most of all from the people who lived through it. This cannot be a mere conversation between lawyers.” | “I have repeatedly been told that what my clients need is a restoration of their human dignity … You can’t learn at school how to conduct the Grenfell Tower inquiry. There’s no substitute for being eternally curious about the fire, and most of all from the people who lived through it. This cannot be a mere conversation between lawyers.” |
| More than 230,000 documents had been obtained by the public inquiry from manufacturers, building contractors, suppliers and others, the hearing was told. | More than 230,000 documents had been obtained by the public inquiry from manufacturers, building contractors, suppliers and others, the hearing was told. |
| Outlining progress in evidence-gathering, Richard Millett QC, counsel to the inquiry, said the process of disclosure would begin as soon as possible. | Outlining progress in evidence-gathering, Richard Millett QC, counsel to the inquiry, said the process of disclosure would begin as soon as possible. |
| Michael Mansfield QC, speaking on behalf of another group of law firms that represent other bereaved families, said the fire in the country’s wealthiest borough was a “national atrocity”. | Michael Mansfield QC, speaking on behalf of another group of law firms that represent other bereaved families, said the fire in the country’s wealthiest borough was a “national atrocity”. |
| “People had given warnings about this before,” Mansfield said. “In a community that has been ignored, what has happened since then has not restored their confidence. There’s a distinct feeling that they have not been involved.” | “People had given warnings about this before,” Mansfield said. “In a community that has been ignored, what has happened since then has not restored their confidence. There’s a distinct feeling that they have not been involved.” |
| Public confidence needs to be restored, he said. Mansfield said the immediate cause of the fire was not necessarily the most pressing issue. What the families want is accountability and identification of what went wrong, he added. | Public confidence needs to be restored, he said. Mansfield said the immediate cause of the fire was not necessarily the most pressing issue. What the families want is accountability and identification of what went wrong, he added. |
| Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the retired judge leading the inquiry, asked whether assembling a panel of local residents to liaise with him would be helpful. | Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the retired judge leading the inquiry, asked whether assembling a panel of local residents to liaise with him would be helpful. |