The Jimmy Mizen killing: More questions than answers

The appalling and senseless killing of 16-year old Jimmy Mizen by a thug believed to be Turkish raises some interesting questions - questions to which we are unlikely to get answers.

For instance: Despite the fact that this young man was killed on Saturday morning in front of witnesses - why did it take until Monday evening – over two days later, for the police and media to release a description of the suspect? This is a particularly interesting question as it is apparent that the police knew who they were after from an early stage - as they attended at several addresses known to be associated with the suspect.

In addition, the media must have had a description - as reporters would have spoken to witnesses at length. For EVERY news agency to withold that description suggests they were requested by the police/Home Office to embargo it for 48 hours.

According to this morning’s media reports, police fear the suspect may have left the country for the “Turkish” zone of Cyprus – with whom, we understand, Britain has no extradition agreement. Had an “all ports lookout” been issued on Saturday – when, we understand, police first set out to apprehend the suspect, then this eventuality – if he has indeed left the country - could have been avoided.

A police spokesperson has stated, in a press release, that there was no racial motive to this heinous crime. How on earth can they say that? How can they possibly know the suspect’s motivation without, at the very least, having first interviewed him?

Is the police’s apparent determination to deny any racial motive for the killing, in any way related to their former reluctance to provide a description of the suspect and their apparent failure to post an “all ports lookout” earlier?

And finally, would the police have withheld a description of an assailant, delayed posting an “all ports lookout” and played down any racial motive for a crime - had the roles been reversed – with the victim being Turkish and the suspected perpetrator being a native Briton?

Based on past experience, we suspect not.