BOTH Peter Meek, now 25 and his brother Philip, were arrested by police on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm on the day Blake was injured. But four months later in April 2012 they were released with no further action.
Southampton Coroner’s Court heard how the Crown Prosecution Service, the body which decides whether to pursue a prosecution, decided there was not enough evidence to bring a charge based on the information, statements, forensic and pathology evidence gathered by Hampshire detectives.
However, the Daily Echo has learned that no file was ever passed to the CPS by Hampshire police and that the view that there was not enough evidence to support a prosecution was relayed via telephone conversations.
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Why the delay for the inquest?
The case had been delayed while care proceedings involving Blake’s siblings were concluded.
During those family court proceedings a detailed examination had been conducted of the circumstances surrounding Blake’s death, as it had a bearing on the future care of his surviving siblings.
Coroner Keith Wiseman said due to that inquiry already being heard at the High Court he did not wish to re-examine the same evidence but had taken into account the evidence that had been heard during those proceedings which had lasted around ten days towards the end of last year.
Why has the Serious Case Review only just started?
The Daily Echo asked the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) why a Serious Case Review had only recently been commissioned investigating the authority’s involvement with the family.
In response a statement by Keith Makin, the recently appointed chairman of the LSCB, said: “Undertaking a Serious Case Review is a complex, formal process involving the gathering and scrutiny of a considerable amount of evidence.
“It’s important that the process is thorough and exhaustive. The Serious Case Review for (Blake Fowler) has now been commissioned.
“In deciding when to publish a Serious Case Review the LSCB needs to bear in mind a wide range of issues including legal proceedings and the confidentiality of all those involved.
“As the new chair of the LSCB I certainly propose to ensure that Serious Case Reviews are published as swiftly as possible.”
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