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The Sheku Bayoh inquiry began in November 2020 to examine the death of the father-of-two under restraint from officers in Kirkcaldy in May 2015. It has so far cost £26.2m, with an additional £24.3m spent by Police Scotland, including £17.3m of legal costs. Mr Bayoh, who was 31, was restrained by six police officers after he was allegedly spotted carrying a knife and behaving erratically on a street in Kirkcaldy. He was not carrying the knife when officers arrived at the scene. Mr Bayoh lost consciousness during the struggle that ensued and later died in hospital. The SPF allege one officer, PC Nicole Short, was the victim of a "violent assault" during the incident, which led to her retirement on ill-health grounds. They added that, while Mr Bayoh was not armed at the time of his arrest, a knife was recovered "mere feet" from where he was restrained. Lord Bracadale had been appointed to lead the public inquiry into his death. It has been looking at how the police dealt with the aftermath, the investigation into Mr Bayoh's death and whether race was a factor.
