Bus driver’s family greets new inquiry into death

The family of a black bus driver found burned to death welcomed the decision by Scotland Yard today to reopen an inquiry into the case.

Relatives of Kester David, 53, of Wood Green, whose charred remains were discovered in railway arches at Palmers Green station, hit out at “appalling” and “racist” treatment by police and condemned the Met for dismissing the fears that he had been murdered.

Since the discovery of Mr David’s body on July 7, 2010, officers have insisted that he committed suicide. He died from 100 per cent burns and inhaling petrol fumes and an inquest in January recorded an open verdict.

Scotland Yard has ordered a new inquiry after details were published of an internal review. Enfield officers failed to interview witnesses for more than a year, failed to check CCTV footage, failed to cross-reference DNA and did not examine phone evidence.

Mr David’s half-brother Roger Griffith said: “We have been treated appallingly by the police.” Mr David’s mother Winifred Griffith said: “We would not have had to wait so long and fight so hard if Kester had been a white man.”