‘Deaths in custody’ lawyer honoured at legal aid ceremony

03 July 2013

The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) is proud to sponsor the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) awards. We are delighted to hear that Raju has been recognised for his extraordinary long-standing commitment to justice, determination and dedication to his clients as a LALY award winner.

Leading civil liberties solicitor Raju Bhatt was presented with the Outstanding Achievement award at last night’s (2 July) Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) awards.

Raju was feted for his long-standing commitment to justice, and in particular his work in relation to restraint-related deaths in custody, including for the families of Roger Sylvester, Alton Manning, Ibrahima Sey and Shiji Lapite.

Also honoured at this year’s awards was Margaret Gordon, who acted for Alfie Meadows, the student acquitted of violent disorder after suffering a serious head injury at an anti-fees protest. Alfie himself wrote in support of Margaret’s nomination.

In May this year, Raju Bhatt saw a major victory in the long-running case of Daniel Morgan, the private investigator found murdered in a south London pub car park in 1987. After a prolonged legal battle, the Home Secretary Theresa May agreed to order a review of the role of police corruption in the unsolved case.

Announcing Raju’s award, compere John Howard said: ‘No one should ever underestimate the amount of dogged determination and sheer mettle a case like Morgan takes.’

The winners were presented with their awards by Lord Justice McFarlane, who sits in the appeal court.

Raju said he was accepting the award on behalf of legal aid lawyers everywhere.

ENDS