In the early hours of January 24th, 1999, Jimmy “Jay” Abatan, a forty-two-year-old accountant and father of two, was enjoying a night out in Brighton, England, celebrating his recent promotion to senior tax advisor at PricewaterhouseCoopers. What began as a joyous occasion with his brother Michael and a friend ended in tragedy outside the Ocean Rooms nightclub on Morley Street.
As the group attempted to hail a taxi, an altercation erupted with a group of white men. Jay was punched twice in the face, causing him to fall and fracture his skull on the pavement.
He briefly regained consciousness in the ambulance but slipped into a coma. Five days later, on January 29th, 1999, Jay died in the Royal Sussex County Hospital from severe head injuries. His brother Michael was also assaulted but survived.
The attack was described as “entirely unprovoked and entirely unexplained.” The Abatan family, including Michael, has long maintained that it was racially motivated, given Jay’s mixed heritage—born to a Nigerian father and English mother. Sussex Police eventually classified the incident as racially aggravated, but only years later.
Two men were arrested within twenty-four hours and initially charged with manslaughter. However, those charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence. They faced lesser charges of affray and actual bodily harm against Michael but were acquitted in 2000. Controversially, the jury was not informed that Jay had died from injuries sustained in the same incident, as the judge ruled it might prejudice the trial.
The family’s complaints about the handling of the case led to multiple independent reviews. An Essex Police review from 1999 to 2000 identified fifty-seven serious errors, including failures to secure the crime scene, interview witnesses promptly, and pursue key leads. Further reviews by Avon and Somerset Police highlighted additional shortcomings. Sussex Police faced disciplinary action: a detective superintendent was fined, and two inspectors were reprimanded or cautioned.
Leaked details revealed officers used outdated and offensive terms like “half-caste” or “coloured” in reports, and the investigation was under-resourced. In 2014, it emerged that a serving Sussex Police officer had been drinking with the suspects at the nightclub that night—a fact not previously disclosed—further eroding trust. Later allegations suggested some officers socialized, partied, or even holidayed with suspects post-incident.
Sussex Police publicly apologized multiple times for the 1999 failings, acknowledging that investigative practices have since improved dramatically. They relaunched the case as Operation Dorchester with a new team and offered rewards.
After persistent campaigning by the family, an inquest was held in October 2010. Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley returned a verdict of unlawful killing, confirming Jay was punched twice and that any reasonable person would foresee serious harm from such an assault. Despite this, no one has been convicted.
Michael Abatan has led the “Justice for Jay” campaign for over a quarter-century, supported by figures like Doreen Lawrence (mother of Stephen Lawrence), MPs including Sir Peter Bottomley, and organizations such as the Public and Commercial Services Union. Annual vigils outside Brighton Police Station mark the anniversary, with calls for witnesses to come forward—Michael believes some remain “frightened.”
Comparisons to the Stephen Lawrence case are frequent: both highlight alleged institutional racism in policing post the 1999 Macpherson Report. Doreen Lawrence once stated the Abatan case showed “institutional racism was alive and well.”
The investigation was officially closed in 2013, but police say they remain open to new information. As of late 2024—the twenty-fifth anniversary—the family renewed calls for a full public inquiry, citing unresolved questions about police conduct and potential cover-ups.
Jay Abatan left behind a partner, Tanya Haynes, and two young children. Described as a dedicated family man and rising professional, his death robbed them of a loving father and provider. Michael has vowed never to stop fighting, honoring a promise made at Jay’s bedside.
Nearly twenty-seven years on (as of December 2025), the killers remain free.
Crime Immemorial 