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| Body of man crushed by cement mixer to be exhumed by detectives | Body of man crushed by cement mixer to be exhumed by detectives |
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| The body of a man who was crushed to death by a cement mixer is to be exhumed by detectives who have been forced to mount a new inquiry into his death after pressure from relatives who believe he was murdered. | The body of a man who was crushed to death by a cement mixer is to be exhumed by detectives who have been forced to mount a new inquiry into his death after pressure from relatives who believe he was murdered. |
| Over the past 11 years the death of Lee Balkwell, 33, in July 2002 has been the subject of an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and a review by one of the country's leading homicide detectives. It is now subject to a new investigation led by officers from the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate after failings in the original investigation were identified. | Over the past 11 years the death of Lee Balkwell, 33, in July 2002 has been the subject of an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and a review by one of the country's leading homicide detectives. It is now subject to a new investigation led by officers from the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate after failings in the original investigation were identified. |
| In a major development in the inquiry, detectives are to exhume the body of Balkwell from Corbets Tay cemetery in Upminster later this month as they pursue evidence which was not developed in the hours after the death. The move has been welcomed by Balkwell's father, Les, who has campaigned and pursued his own inquiries for more than a decade in his bid to find the truth about his son's death. | In a major development in the inquiry, detectives are to exhume the body of Balkwell from Corbets Tay cemetery in Upminster later this month as they pursue evidence which was not developed in the hours after the death. The move has been welcomed by Balkwell's father, Les, who has campaigned and pursued his own inquiries for more than a decade in his bid to find the truth about his son's death. |
| "We welcome this decision but we wish it had been done some time ago," said Les Balkwell. "What I want the police to look for is marks on his bones that might indicate he was stabbed and marks on his arms that could indicate he was tortured." | "We welcome this decision but we wish it had been done some time ago," said Les Balkwell. "What I want the police to look for is marks on his bones that might indicate he was stabbed and marks on his arms that could indicate he was tortured." |
| Balkwell, a haulage driver, was found mangled between the drum and chassis of a concrete mixer lorry on 18 July 2002 by emergency crews who were called to a concrete firm on a farm in Essex in the early hours of the morning. The farm was owned by a family who are known to police for drugs and firearms offences. | Balkwell, a haulage driver, was found mangled between the drum and chassis of a concrete mixer lorry on 18 July 2002 by emergency crews who were called to a concrete firm on a farm in Essex in the early hours of the morning. The farm was owned by a family who are known to police for drugs and firearms offences. |
| One paramedic wrote in his notebook "?foul play" and another recorded that she thought she was looking at a suspicious death, a third said he was reluctant to touch the body in case he damaged evidence. | One paramedic wrote in his notebook "?foul play" and another recorded that she thought she was looking at a suspicious death, a third said he was reluctant to touch the body in case he damaged evidence. |
| But police investigating the death allowed Balkwell's clothing to be destroyed the day after he was found, before it was examined by a forensic scientist. Within 48 hours of Balkwell being found officers from Essex police also told his family that the haulage driver had been killed in a freak accident while cleaning the drum of the lorry at 1am. | But police investigating the death allowed Balkwell's clothing to be destroyed the day after he was found, before it was examined by a forensic scientist. Within 48 hours of Balkwell being found officers from Essex police also told his family that the haulage driver had been killed in a freak accident while cleaning the drum of the lorry at 1am. |
| An IPCC inquiry was mounted into allegations that the investigation into the death was mishandled, that evidence was contaminated and into the claim that there was a well organised cover-up. The final report of the police watchdog found substantially in favour of Balkwell's father – who had made complaints against 17 Essex officers. The report said: "From the outset, it [the police force] was mired in the assumption that what had happened to Lee Balkwell was a tragic industrial accident. Officers failed to secure potential evidence, failed to interview potential witnesses and failed to treat the death with an open mind … the all important first hours of this investigation, where vital evidence must be preserved, had been lost." | An IPCC inquiry was mounted into allegations that the investigation into the death was mishandled, that evidence was contaminated and into the claim that there was a well organised cover-up. The final report of the police watchdog found substantially in favour of Balkwell's father – who had made complaints against 17 Essex officers. The report said: "From the outset, it [the police force] was mired in the assumption that what had happened to Lee Balkwell was a tragic industrial accident. Officers failed to secure potential evidence, failed to interview potential witnesses and failed to treat the death with an open mind … the all important first hours of this investigation, where vital evidence must be preserved, had been lost." |
| Over the subsequent years the police investigation into Balkwells' death has unravelled. A review of the investigation carried out by Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Mirfield, then head of the major crime unit of West Midlands police, made more than 90 recommendations and forced Essex police to begin a new inquiry into the circumstances of the death. | Over the subsequent years the police investigation into Balkwells' death has unravelled. A review of the investigation carried out by Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Mirfield, then head of the major crime unit of West Midlands police, made more than 90 recommendations and forced Essex police to begin a new inquiry into the circumstances of the death. |
| Essex police said on Thursday detectives on the inquiry had now reached a point where the body needed to be exhumed for further investigation. | Essex police said on Thursday detectives on the inquiry had now reached a point where the body needed to be exhumed for further investigation. |
| "Officers from Kent and Essex serious crime directorate intend to carry out an exhumation on the body of Lee Balkwell as part of their ongoing search for the truth regarding his death," a spokesman said. | "Officers from Kent and Essex serious crime directorate intend to carry out an exhumation on the body of Lee Balkwell as part of their ongoing search for the truth regarding his death," a spokesman said. |
| "The investigation team acknowledges the sensitivity of such a line of inquiry and will remain in close contact with the family of Lee Balkwell during the preparation and planning of this case." | "The investigation team acknowledges the sensitivity of such a line of inquiry and will remain in close contact with the family of Lee Balkwell during the preparation and planning of this case." |
| Balkwell's family have pushed for his body to be exhumed as the original postmortem was carried out by the now discredited pathologist Dr Michael Heath. Heath resigned from the Home Office four years ago after being strongly criticised by a government disciplinary panel into his postmortems into the deaths of two women. A General Medical Council (GMC) hearing found him guilty of serious misconduct. Heath was responsible for hundreds of postmortems during his career, including in Essex those of Balkwell and Stuart Lubbock, who was found dead in a swimming pool at the home of television presenter Michael Barrymore in 2001. | Balkwell's family have pushed for his body to be exhumed as the original postmortem was carried out by the now discredited pathologist Dr Michael Heath. Heath resigned from the Home Office four years ago after being strongly criticised by a government disciplinary panel into his postmortems into the deaths of two women. A General Medical Council (GMC) hearing found him guilty of serious misconduct. Heath was responsible for hundreds of postmortems during his career, including in Essex those of Balkwell and Stuart Lubbock, who was found dead in a swimming pool at the home of television presenter Michael Barrymore in 2001. |
| Five individuals arrested in connection with Balkwell's death are on police bail pending further inquiries. | Five individuals arrested in connection with Balkwell's death are on police bail pending further inquiries. |
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