KHYRA: LET JUSTICE TAKE ITS COURSE

22-05-2008

The tragic death of seven year Khyra Ishaq in Handsworth has already led to what sounds suspiciously like a rush to judgement. Newspapers are reporting neighbours’ gossip while MP Khalid Mahmood is demanding an investigation – so whatever happened to letting justice take its course?

The facts, as we know them from a West Midlands Police statement issued yesterday, are as follows:

"The following is information on an incident in Handsworth on Saturday 17 May at 5.50am.

"We can confirm that a seven-year-old girl was taken to hospital on Saturday 17 May where she was pronounced dead. The girl's name is Khyra Ishaq of Leyton Road, Handsworth.

"Her cause of death has not been confirmed at this stage.

"Police are conducting enquiries and a man aged 29 and a woman aged 33 have been charged with neglect and appeared before Birmingham Magistrates on May 19.

"They have been remanded to appear again on 28 May.

"As proceedings are active, we cannot comment further at this time."

And that’s how we intend to leave it.

The Stirrer believes that everyone is entitled to a fair trial, and values the law of contempt in this country which is designed to restrict comment once people have been charged.

We trust in the wisdom of the twelve jury members selected to hear any case that might follow hope that nothing is written or said that will prejudice the outcome.

Comments by MPs and the media should be left until this appalling story has reached its legal conclusion.