No5 Chambers barrister Ian Brownhill has today asked the Interim Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police not to recall a senior officer following allegations that officers were drinking off duty during an investigation into the disappearance of Ben Needham.
Officers have been deployed to the Greek Island of Kos after Ian Brownhill helped the Find Ben Needham Campaign secure central government funding to send police to take up active leads on the island.
After reports of officers drinking in their leisure time in a tabloid newspaper it is reported that the lead officer, DSI Matt Fenwick has been recalled to the United Kingdom. Fenwick has been the lead investigative officer now on the case both before and since the grant of central government funding.
This morning Kerry Needham, Ben’s mother, instructed No5’s Ian Brownhill to make representations to the Interim Chief Constable as to the potential devastating effect that it may have by recalling Detective Superintendent Matt Fenwick .
She said: “My family and lawyer are in touch with the chief of police requesting the detective in charge remains on the island as he is crucial to Ben’s investigation.”
Brownhill, on Kerry Needham’s behalf, assured the Interim Chief Constable that, in the view of the family, the officers were operating to the highest operational standards and emphasised the potential disruption that the removal of the lead detective may have.
Ben Needham (born 29 October 1989 in Sheffield) disappeared on 24 July, 1991 at the age of 21 months from the Greek island of Kos. Despite numerous reported sightings over the years, no trace of the British child has ever been found. It is one of the longest missing persons cases in UK history.
Ian Brownhill continues to act for the Find Ben Needham Campaign and Kerry Needham on a pro-bono basis. Ian Brownhill is a member of the public law team at No5 Chambers based in our London Office with a particular expertise in human rights and civil liberties.
To view Ian Brownhill’s profile CLICK HERE
