The Metropolitan Police has apologised for failings in the investigation of a racist attack on a woman in London, after she was left unconscious and feared she would die. Niyad Farah, 38, was assaulted by seven white men on Kilburn Lane in the early hours of 22 December 2019.
Farah, who has Somali heritage, said officers questioned whether she had been buying drugs from her attackers and suggested a racist attack was unlikely in that area. She also said police failed to take statements from her for two months, did not secure CCTV footage—now lost—and closed the case, leaving the attackers free.
The Met initially recorded the attack as racially aggravated grievous bodily harm with intent but has now reopened the investigation after Farah went to the media. On Wednesday, the force referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for possible independent inquiry.
In a statement, the Met acknowledged the line of questioning was an error and apologised for letting the victims down. The case comes amid renewed scrutiny of the force's record on race, ahead of the launch of the Stephen Lawrence memorial day.
