Met officers accused of not giving man enough first aid

Two Metropolitan Police officers could face criminal charges after being accused of not providing enough first aid to a stab victim, who later died.

The two officers were flagged down to help Usmaan Mahmood, 20, when he was stabbed in Thornton Heath, south London, on 13 June.

They called an ambulance, but a complaint was made by a passer-by they had not done enough to save his life.

The police watchdog has started an investigation into what happened.

IOPC director Mel Palmer said: "Once it's completed, we will decide whether to make a referral to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision, and also decide whether any of the officers involved should face disciplinary proceedings."

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the two officers were flagged down on Sandfield Road by a passer-by and were joined "minutes later" by a another police unit.

The officers in the second unit performed CPR on the victim, but he died in hospital, the IOPC said.

The watchdog added that the day after the incident, a member of the public had raised concerns to the Met Police that the first two officers "did not appear to provide sufficient first aid to Mr Mahmood".

The IOPC said it was looking into the contact the officers had with Mr Mahmood, including whether the first aid provided was "appropriate and timely".

The two officers are being investigated for alleged misconduct in public office, a criminal offence, along with potential breaches of professional standards, which could amount to gross misconduct.

The investigation has gathered footage from body-worn cameras, CCTV images, witness statements and recordings from police radio systems.

Ms Palmer added: "It's important that we progress our independent investigation to establish the full circumstances, including the decision-making of the officers involved."

All police officers are trained in a basic level of emergency first aid, with some officers in high-risk positions given more advanced training.

Joshua Munoz, 19, has been charged with murdering Mr Mahmood.

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