The British government has sharply rejected allegations of a so-called ‘two-tier justice’ system in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Henry Nowak. Lucy Rigby described the accusation as a ‘slur’ on the police during an interview with Sky News on Thursday morning, as reported by the Guardian. She called the claim a ‘slap in the face’ for the thousands of officers who carry out their duties to protect the public every day.
Rigby said: ‘The suggestion that we have a two-tier justice system, which essentially implies that the police systematically prioritise one group over another – I really think that is a slur on all the police officers who serve this country day and night.’ Earlier, Keir Starmer had also denied the existence of such two-tier policing. Nigel Farage’s Reform Party and some Conservative politicians had raised the accusation after the boy’s violent death.
The Nowak case sparked a nationwide debate on racism and policing. The 14-year-old was killed last weekend in a suburb of Manchester. Police arrested a 19-year-old suspect at the scene. The exact circumstances of the crime are still under investigation.
Late on Thursday evening, Labour candidate for Makerfield and potential next prime minister Andy Burnham is set to comment on the case in a BBC programme. Burnham had previously announced he would give a more detailed statement on the questions the Nowak murder has raised about policing and racism.
Source: www.theguardian.com
