Tomlinson family slam out of court after Pc's evidence

RELATIVES of Ian Tomlinson stormed out of his inquest yesterday after the police officer who pushed the newspaper seller to the ground during the G20 protests told an inquest he wanted to "help the family".

Judge Peter Thornton told Pc Simon Harwood: "No doubt you have been advised that you are not obliged to answer any question tending to incriminate you."

Pc Harwood, dressed in a grey suit and patterned yellow tie, said: "I'm here as a witness to help with the inquest and also to give some sort of answers to help the family. So I'm here to answer questions, just to help."

At this, family members walked out of the hearing room.

Mr Tomlinson's collapse on the fringes of demonstrations in London on 1 April, 2009 became global news after video footage challenged the original official version of events.

Pathologist Freddy Patel found the 47-year-old died of natural causes but the inquest has seen amateur video of Pc Harwood striking Mr Tomlinson with a baton before pushing him to the ground.