Officers jailed for misconduct

A police officer and a community support officer have been jailed for misconduct following the vigilante murder of a disabled man.

PC Kevin Duffy, 52, and PCSO Andrew Passmore, 56, were found guilty of misconduct in a public office in connection with the death of Bijan Ebrahimi in Bristol in 2013.

Mr Ebrahimi, 44, was beaten to death and his body set on fire by neighbour Lee James, who wrongly believed he was a paedophile.

Judge Neil Ford QC, the Recorder of Bristol, jailed Duffy for 10 months and Passmore to four months.

Bristol Crown Court heard that Duffy saw Mr Ebrahimi as a liar and a nuisance despite the dangerous situation he was in.

The officer refused to speak to the Iranian refugee despite his repeated pleas in the days leading up to the murder.

Passmore was found to have lied by telling murder detectives he had patrolled outside Mr Ebrahimi's home for an hour when it had actually been a few minutes.

Avon and Somerset Police dismissed Duffy and Passmore following misconduct hearings in January.

The IPCC is expected to publish its investigation findings into Mr Ebrahimi's death at the conclusion of all disciplinary proceedings connected with the case.