The Independent Police Complaints Commission today cleared police of covering up details of Ian Tomlinson’s death and misleading the media.

However, the IPCC did admit that without the video evidence of Tomlinson being pushed to the ground – which was obtained by The Guardian – there might not have been a criminal investigation into his killing. And it does detail how The Guardian was asked to take damning video footage down from its website and how a police press officer asked journalists not to contact the Tomlinson family, even though this was not something they had asked for.

Deputy chair of the IPCC Deborah Glass said: ‘There is no doubt of the crucial role played by the media in obtaining evidence that has proved to be vital to the IPCC in its investigation into Mr Tomlinson’s death.