David Ewin

David Ewin was shot by the police during an arrest in Castlenau in Barnes, just south of Hammersmith Bridge on 28 February 1995. He later died on 16 March 1995.

A 49-year-old policeman was tried for his murder but acquitted.

He shot him during a traffic stop after he got out of a stolen car to go into an off-licence. David Ewin had been unarmed at the time. He was being arrested on suspicion of car theft.

The general timline of events was:

• 28 February 1995: David Ewin shot in Castlenau after being suspected of driving a stolen car.
• 16 March 1995: David Ewin died at Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
• 17 October 1995: Policeman charged with his murder.
• 11 December 1996: First trial halted for legal reasons.
• 22 April 1997: Second trial at Old Bailey but jury failed to reach a verdict.
• 14 October 1997: Policeman acquitted of murder and manslaughter.

It was noted that the policeman was the first policeman to have been tried for committing murder whilst on duty.

At the trial it was submitted that there was no need for the policeman to take out his gun and that he had only done so because David Ewin wouldn't do what he was told.

When David Ewin was shot, he cried out:

He had been shot twice, once in the arm and one in the stomach and died two weeks later in hospital.

At the trial, the prosecution stated that the policeman had committed:

when he pumped the bullets into David Ewin.

The court heard that David Ewin had panicked and tried to escape when the policeman drew out his 9mm Glock pistol.

The incident was otherwise described as a:

when the police stopped David Ewin on the south side of Hammersmith Bridge, and that there was no need for the policeman to pull out his gun and shoot David Ewin as he tried to drive off in a stolen car.

The prosecution said:

It was noted that after the shooting, as the pooliceman was led away in a shaken state, that he said:

He later said that David Ewin had driven live a maniac and that he had shot him because he feared for his own life and civilians in the area.

He added:

However, the prosecution stated:

It was generally submitted that the policeman had been hanging on to the car whilst David Ewin was driving off and that he was aiming for a gap in some cars and the  policeman would have been cut in two. However, it was noted that when he shot him he had not been hanging onto the car and that there was no way that David Ewin would have been able to escape as he was trapped between four cars. It was also noted that the policeman had been on the pavement at the time he fired, and was 5ft away from the Toyota car. It was also noted that the worst that could have happened from then on was that a few cars were damaged.

the prosecution said:

An estate agent that witnessed the shooting said that the car had been trapped between four cars and had gone backwards and forwards three or four times, and that the driver had then appeared to have had trouble with the gears, noting that in effect the car was blocked in.

He said:

The estate agent said that although he was generally in favour of armed police, that he beleived that the use of arms had been unessessary in David Ewin's case. He said:

Another witness said:

Another witness that saw the shooting said:

A witness that had been waiting in his mother's car in Barnes at the time said:

THe man said that he had been trying to keep his dogs under control at the time and was looking out through the rear car window and saw the policeman on the pavement between the car and a bus stop. He said:

The court heard that the incident started with a chance meeting by the police in an armed responce vehicle when they spotted David Ewin, and another man in a stoeln MR2 Toyota sports car that David Ewin had allegedly taken from a garage forecourt. When they saw David Ewin and the other man get out of the car and go into a shop they approached them, but they spotted them and ran back to the car to drive off and escape.

The other man was caught before he managed to get back, but David Ewin manafged to get back in the car and prepared to drive off.

However, the policeman on trial managed to grab hold of David Ewin round the neck through the open car window.

David Ewin then started to shunt the car backwards and forwards, spinning the wheels and hitting other cars, at which point the policeman said that he thought he had been in danger of being sqaushed beterrn cars and so he drew his gun and starting hitting the windscreen of the car after whcih he jumped clear and shouted:

However, David Ewin continued to attempt to smash his way out passed cars that were blocking him and the policeman shot him.

The policeman said:

The court also heard that David Ewin had been drinking at the time and had probably taken a cocktail of cocaine, cannabis and heroin.

At the inquest in March 1995, it was heard that a case was being sent to the DPP. However, David Ewin's counsel at the time said:

The first trial at the Old Bailey took place in December 1996 but was halted on 11 December following a 7 day hearing for legal reasons before the jury retired to consider their verdict.

The second trial at the Old Bailey on 22 April 1997 but the jury failed to reach a verdict.

However, at a third trail on 14 October 1997 the policeman was acquitted of both murder and manslaughter.

David Ewin's mother described the verdict as 'Outrageous'. At an earlier protest outside Hammersmith Police Station, she said that his shooting had been unjustified because David Ewin had been unarmed and trapped between four other vehicles.

David Ewin had been a celebrity chauffeur noted for having driven pop stars such as Annie Lennox and Michael Hutchence about, and had lived in Highcliffe Drive, Roehampton. He was said to have been recently released fom prison in January 1995, and to have had convictions for robbery and having just finished a 5 year sentence.

David Ewin was described as an establishe West London villian and his police record described him as 'highly dangerous'.

It was noted that David Ewin's wife gave birth to his son four months after his death.