Sheku Bayoh inquiry influenced ex-police chief’s racism statement

At the start of his evidence Sir Iain praised the “dignity and courage” Mr Bayoh’s family had shown.

He added: “I will do everything I can to support the work of this inquiry.”

Sir Iain later told the inquiry that the backlash he received for branding the force “institutionally racist” proved his assessment was correct.

He also admitted that a nine-year wait to find out if police officers would be subject to misconduct proceedings was “excessive”.

And Sir Iain said that a report by an Independent Review Group (IRG), published in May 2023, led to him making the comment about institutional racism.

It echoed the language used in the Macpherson report, after the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in south-east London in 1993.

The IRG report said: “There was a widespread view that while discriminatory attitudes were far from a thing of the past in Police Scotland, there had been a marked shift over the past decade.

“However our interviews with both key interviewees and divisional staff revealed instances of discrimination against minoritised communities, including first-hand accounts of racism, sexism and homophobia.”

Sir Iain also he believed that acknowledging institutional racism was the first step to dealing with it.

The inquiry, taking place before Lord Bracadale in Edinburgh, continues.