July 4, 2017By Ben Kentish
Bijan Ebrahimi, (click here) pictured with his with his sister Manizhah, 'believed England was safe'.
Police officers (click here) who failed to come to the assistance of a disabled refugee who was beaten to death and set on fire by his neighbour showed “hallmarks of racial bias”, the police watchdog has said in a damning ruling that revealed a catalogue of failings.
Bijan Ebrahimi, 44, was murdered by Lee James in Bristol in July 2013 after seven years of abuse. James wrongly believed his neighbour, an Iranian national was a paedophile.
In an excoriating report, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) criticised the “poor responses” of the police and suggested the officers involved had displayed signs of racism.
Between 2007 and his murder, Mr Ebrahimi made 85 calls to Avon and Somerset Police to report a range of crimes, including racial abuse, criminal damage and threats to kill him.
He had his home and car set on fire and had the word “pervert” daubed on his front door.
On 40 separate occasions, police officers failed to report the crimes....
...“Instead, his complaints about abusive neighbours were disbelieved and he was considered to be a liar, a nuisance and an attention seeker.
“Neighbours’ counter allegations were taken at face value and accepted, despite evidence to the contrary, and Bijan Ebrahimi found himself regarded as the perpetrator of the abuse, rather than as the victim.”...
28 November 2017
By Martin Robinson
Manizhah Moores, sister of Bijan Ebrahimi, made a victim's impact statement in the sentencing of Stephen Norley and Lee James at Bristol Crown Court.
"Part of us died with him" (click here)
Manizhah Moores, the sister of Bijan Ebrahimi, released the victim impact statement she had prepared for the court ahead of the sentencing.
''In order to explain the impact of these terrible crimes on Bijan and his family, it is necessary to explain something of Bijan's background. He was born in Iran in 1969. In 1981 our mother was left paralysed by a stroke and she passed away in 1991, when Bijan was 22 years of age. In 1992 our father became ill and it was Bijan who looked after him uncomplainingly until our father's slow death to cancer a few years later. Witnessing the death of beloved parents meant that life was precious to Bijan; he knew how fragile it could be.
'As a result of caring for our parents Bijan did not get the same chances in life as we did, such as a university education. On coming to live in the UK in 2000 at 31 years of age he was therefore determined to make a new beginning. Bijan began to work and attend college with the aim of going to university....
