Former Doncaster journalist nominated for prestigious Private Eye investigation award

Phil Coleman, who works for the Carlisle News and Star as chief reporter is among the finalists for the Private Eye Paul Foot Award, which celebrates investigative journalism.

Mr Coleman, who was editor of former Doncaster Free Press sister newspaper the Doncaster Courier in the 1990s, has been put up for the honour after exclusively obtaining police bodycam footage that revealed how officers had attacked and tasered a Cumbrian man in the midst of a mental health crisis, contradicting the police account of the incident.

He is shortlisted alongside David Conn, of The Guardian, Paul Morgan-Bentley, of The Times, Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke, of The Sunday Times, Matt Shea, Jamie Tahsin and Tim Hume, of Vice World News, and The Observer’s Hannah Summers.

Phil told newspaper industry website Hold The Front Page: “I’m thrilled to have made the shortlist for this highly respected award.

"I’ve always believed journalists should hold power to account and that is what I sought to do with my investigation.

"Cumbria Police does much excellent work and is served by many dedicated and professional officers.

“However, the tasering incident exposed by my investigation, following a complex legal challenge, led to the disclosure of shocking police video footage that I felt raises hugely important questions.

“The suspect – in the midst of a mental health crisis – was vulnerable.

“When police initially approached him, he was calm and he was clearly not holding a knife and posed no threat. Yet the aggressive conduct of the officers – contrary to the official guidance that has been issued by the College of Policing on dealing with vulnerable suspects – left this young man fearful and panic-stricken.

“By the time the incident was over, he had suffered a fractured skull and brain damage. The conduct of the officers involved has been condemned by Amnesty International, a retired Carlisle police officer, and a former Cumbria Director of Public Health. Journalists should strive to expose injustice. In this case I feel the suspect suffered precisely that, an injustice.

“It’s an injustice that would never have seen the light of day had it not been for my investigation.”

Cumbria Police has defended its officers, pointing out that the IOPC has judged their actions were reasonable in the circumstances.

The force referred the incident to the watchdog for an independent review.

The winner will be announced in a ceremony on Tuesday 6 June, hosted by Private Eye editor and Have I Got News For You? star Ian Hislop.

In 2007, former Doncaster Free Press journalist Deborah Wain shared the award for her exposé of corruption in the Doncaster Education City project with David Leigh and Rob Evans (The Guardian) for their investigation into bribery in the British arms trade.

The award was set up in memory of investigative journalist Paul Foot, who died in 2004 and who, during his career, worked for Private Eye, The Daily Mirror, Socialist Worker and The Guardian.