Disciplinary action against police over death of naked man

Three policemen will be subject to disciplinary action over the shooting dead of a naked, unarmed man.

The James Ashley case led David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, to demand the sacking of Paul Whitehouse as Chief Constable of Sussex. Mr Blunkett was angered by Mr Whitehouse's decision to promote two of the senior officers concerned in the bungled drugs raid in 1998 that ended with the 39-year-old dead.

Yesterday, those men, Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Siggs, 42, and Detective Chief Inspector Kevin French, 48, were understood to be facing disciplinary action with Superintendent Christopher Burton, 44, after recommendations from the Police Complaints Authority. Mr Ashley's family described the disciplinary charges as a "public relations exercise" and "too little too late".

Sussex Police was criticised and accused of "complete corporate failure" after a £1m investigation by Kent police.

Yesterday, the PCA would reveal only that a superintendent and two detective chief inspectors would face 15 charges over the planning of the raid on Mr Ashley's flat in St Leonards, near Hastings. The superintendent faces two charges of neglect of duty. One of the detective chief inspectors faces three charges of neglect of duty and six charges of falsehood; the other faces four charges of neglect of duty.

Mr Ashley was in bed with his girlfriend when police burst into his flat in the early hours of 15 January 1998.

He was killed after being hit in the chest by a single bullet fired at close range. A search of his home revealed he did not have any weapons.

Sussex Police said it accepted the recommendations of the PCA and was arranging disciplinary hearings. The investigation found that the marksmen had no plans of the building, were given wrong information on Mr Ashley and used search techniques condemned by experts.

Mr Ashley's mother, Eileen, from Liverpool, said: "To me, this is just too little, too late. James will be dead four years next month. We have had to wait too long for anything like this." Calling again for a public inquiry, she confirmed the family had begun legal action against Sussex Police.

PC Chris Sherwood was cleared at the Old Bailey of unlawfully killing Mr Ashley earlier this year.