In 1999, Harry Stanley, a 46-year-old Scottish labourer, was shot and killed by two police officers in Hackney after a pub patron reported seeing an "Irishman with a gun." The object in question was a broken table leg wrapped in a blue bag.
What happened on the night of the shooting
Stanley had visited his brother to help fix a table leg. On his way home, he stopped at the Alexandra Pub (now The Lauriston) in Hackney for a lemonade. As he left, a customer called the police, claiming an "Irishman with a gun" was nearby.
Police officers PC Kevin Fagan and Inspector Neil Sharman confronted Stanley. According to Fagan's inquest testimony, he saw Stanley holding a cylindrical object and ordered him to drop it. When Stanley allegedly gripped the object with both hands, Fagan fired a shot. Simultaneously, Sharman also fired, striking Stanley in the head and killing him.
Legal aftermath and verdicts
The first inquest in 2002 returned an open verdict. A second inquest in 2004 ruled the death unlawful, but in May 2005, a High Court judge overturned that verdict, citing insufficient evidence. The family was denied the right to appeal. No compensation was paid to Stanley's widow, Irene.
New documentary sheds light on the case
Artist and Hackney resident Tara Darby created a documentary for the BBC titled "Justice for Harry Stanley," airing on BBC Radio 4's New Storytellers series on July 15 at 1.45pm. Darby interviews local residents and family members, including Irene Stanley.
Darby told MyLondon: "I thought the shooting had taken place somewhere else in Hackney, then I saw it was actually around where I live now. It's a terrible story and a real injustice. He was recovering from an operation, went into a pub for a drink and because somebody thought he was Irish, they phoned the police and said 'there's an Irishman with a shotgun'. The police didn't make it clear - to Harry, they were people shouting at him who had guns in their hands."
Call for a memorial
Darby emphasized the need for a memorial in Hackney to ensure Stanley's story is not forgotten. "This is an important piece of Hackney history. The family received no compensation, and his widow, Irene, is incredible. She has such an amazing spirit, and this destroyed her. I wanted to create this documentary to help focus attention on other police shootings that haven't had any resolutions. There should at least be a memorial for Harry. Speaking to Irene, she says this is important so people won't forget and with people moving in and out, stories don't get told, and they die."
