We are pleased to announce that the competition for the second Bevins Prize for outstanding investigative journalism has been won by Paul Lewis, of the Guardian.

Paul Lewis broke the story revealing that Ian Tomlinson, who died following disturbances at the G20 riots earlier this year, had been struck from behind by a police baton and thrown to the ground, in spite of earlier police denials, and an absence of provocation. Paul uncovered the truth by persistently questioning and challenging the police account, by following up on the family, and assiduously garnering eye-witness evidence, until finally he obtained incontrovertible video evidence from a bystander who filmed the incident. In achieving this Paul used every method now available to a modern journalist, online and in print, to keep pushing and nudging at the story until he established what had really happened. His work led to internal and independent police inquiry, extensive and international public comment, and has changed the way police behave in potential riot situations, and how they receive and investigate complaints into such incidents. All in all, his story was a triumph for the assertion of civil liberty, as well as a revelation about policing conduct.

This year's Prize was judged by Ann Treneman, of the Times, Bob Satchwell, of the Society of Editors, and Peter Hennessy, Professor of Contemporary Biritish History at Queen Mary's College, London.

The prize is awarded in honour of Anthony Bevins, the leading political journalist who worked for a wide range of newspapers during his career: the Liverpool Post and Echo, the Sun, the Daily Mail, the Times, the Independent, the Observer and the Daily Express. Tony often seemed to represent an almost one-man stand against what Nick Davies, the journalist and author, has called ‘churnalism’. Wherever he worked, Bevins researched rigorously, and regularly broke otherwise untouched – even ‘untouchable’ – stories. This award aims to encourage and promote that relentless pursuit of truth.

Paul was presented with his award by Roger Alton, editor of the Independent, at the annual conference dinner of the Society of Editors in November. The Prize is a bronze statue of a 'Rat up a Drainpipe', Bevins' favourite phrase, capturing the essence of his approach to journalism.

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