Chronology
4 August 1980
Robert Stewart born and raised in Hyde, Greater Manchester
23 October 1980
Zahid Mubarek born at Whipps Cross Hospital, East London. Raised in Walthamstow
23 December 1993
Stewart's first conviction for criminal damage and arson. Sentenced to a 12-month supervision order.
18 August 1995
Stewart sentenced to first period of custody, following conviction for burglary and theft (offences committed while on bail).
1995-2000
Stewart served a number of custodial sentences at various establishments
10 January 2000
Stewart transferred to Feltham Young Offenders' Institution, from HMP Hindley for a court appearance in London. By this stage, Stewart had 18 separate convictions for 71 offences.
12 January 2000
Stewart transferred back to HMP Hindley.
17 January 2020
Zahid remanded in custody at Waltham Forest Magistrates Court, for theft and interfering with a motor vehicle.
17 January 2000
Zahid receives first prison sentence and transferred to YOI Feltham.
22 January 2000
Zahid moved to cell 38, in Swallow Unit, initially sharing the cell with prisoner G.
24 January 2000
Stewart returned to Feltham, from Hindley, for another court appearance in London
26 January 2000
Stewart transferred back to Hindley
7 February 2000
Stewart returned again to Feltham, from Hindley, to appear in court for racial harassment.
8 February 2000
On return from court, Stewart allocated cell 38 on Swallow Unit, sharing with Zahid.
20 March 2000
Stewart and Zahid both locked in cell 38 for the night. Zahid due for release the following morning.
21 March 2000
(3.35am approx.): The night patrol officer alerted by Stewart activating cell 38 internal alarm, after Stewart had hit Zahid about the head, with a table leg. Read BBC News story here
21 March 2000
(4.35am): Ambulance left Feltham, with the injured Zahid, en route to Ashford General Hospital, Middlesex.
28 March 2000
Having been moved to Charing Cross Hospital, central London, Zahid was taken off sedation. He went into cardiac arrest. His life was pronounced dead at 1.35am.
28 March 2000
The Prison Service set up an internal investigation led by ex Govenor Ted Butt. Part 1 of the report will examine the investigation and information gained from the criminal trial of Robert Stewart.
Part 2 promises to examine racist attitudes and behaviour at YOI Feltham.
31 March 2000
The inquest into Zahid's death was opened and adjourned by the coroner pending the murder charge against Stewart. Following Stewart's conviction, the West London Coroner declined to resume the inquest, saying the
constraints to which coroners are subject made an inquest an unsuitable vehicle for investigating this case.
3 April 2000
Zahid's family called for an independent inquiry into his death.
Read Guardian report 7 April 2000
7 April 2000
Members of the family of Zahid Mubarek meet with Minister for Home Affairs, Paul Boateng, to press for a public inquiry into his death.
23 October 2000
The trial of Robert Stewart gets underway at Kingston Crown Court.
1 November 2000
Stewart was found guilty of murder at Kingston Crown Court
13 November 2000
Part 1 of the Butt report was released to the family, but not published.
Read Part 1 of the report
Read Guardian report
17 November 2000
The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) now EHRC, announced that it would conduct a formal investigation into racial discrimination in the Prison Service. The investigation would be examining three prisons HMP Brixton, YOI Feltham, and the privately-run prison Parc.
22 January 2001
The second part of Ted Butts report into racism at YOl Feltham is published. Ted Butt report finds examples of institutional racism through the prison. Martin Narey, Director of the Prison Service says "There is evidence that racism coexists at Feltham, both overtly and by more subtle methods.
Read Martin Narey’s comments to BBC News here
Read BBC Report here
30 July 2001
The Mubarek family gain permission from the High Court to challenge the Home Secretary's decision not to hold a public inquiry into the death of Zahid. At the same time the family also seek to get a judicial review into the terms of inquiry of the CRE investigation into the prison service and make representations to the HM Coroner for West London convening the inquest into the death.
It was agreed to freeze the action on the CRE and Coroners Court pending a decision from the judicial review.
4 September 2001
In a case brought by Zahid's uncle Imtiaz Amin, Mr Justice Hooper ordered that an independent public inquiry must be held into Zahid's death. He ruled that the refusal by the Home Office to hold an inquiry was a breach of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
5 October 2001
The High Court publishes its reasons for deciding that the Mubarek family have a right to a public inquiry into Zahid's death.
Mr Justice Hooper tells the High Court "It is difficult to imagine a more shocking death in prison than that of Zahid Mubarek." The fact is that that Feltham has an "appalling history" of failing to comply with procedural recommendations.
The Home Office later state they would be appealing the High Court's decision.
27 March 2002
After an appeal by the Home Secretary against the High Court judgment, the Court of Appeal ruled that a public inquiry was not necessary because a sufficient investigation had already been carried out.
The Mubarek family announce that they will be taking their fight to the House of Lords.
14 June 2002
The director-general of the prison service, Martin Narey, attacks the CRE for its unfinished two-year-long
investigation into prison racism. He argues that the delay has been hindering the efforts to tackle racism behind bars.
The CRE faced further embarrassment when it was revealed that one of the reasons for the delay in the official inquiry was because the tape recordings of 60 interviews about the racist murder of Zahid Mubarek, had gone missing.
Read the Guardian report here
Watch Channel 4 news report here
9 July 2003
The CRE publishes its reports into Zahid Mubarek. It lists a catalogue of failures by the Prison Authorities.
Trevor Phillips, Chair of CRE says "Zahid Mubarek died because of a combination of Robert Stewart's
racism and failures by the Prison Service to provide him with appropriate protection."
16 October 2003
The House of Lords ruled that an independent public investigation must be held, with the family being legally represented.
The House of Lords declares that Mr Blunkett breached Zahid Mubarek's right to life by refusing to order an inquiry.
Read the Guardian report here
Read the Guardian report here
Read the Law Report here
29 April 2004
The Home Secretary announced the setting up of The Zahid Mubarek Inquiry.
The prisons minister Paul Goggins tells the family he believes a non-statutory inquiry is best, though if witnesses refuse to cooperate it could be given more robust powers. He believes a "less heavy-handed approach" is more likely to "elicit real openness"
18 November 2004
The Zahid Mubarek Inquiry commences led by Justice Keith and three advisors.
29 June 2006
Inquiry report Released
25 October 2005
Stage play 'Gladiator Games' premieres at The Sheffield Crucible.
29 June 2006
Statement by the Chair, Justice Keith
29 June 2006
On the same day the Home Office issues a statement.
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