Family support manslaughter Pc

MICHAEL Cheong's family today pledged they would continue to support the suspended Suffolk police officer after his conviction for manslaughter.

The 43-year-old's elder brother Christopher Lawrence was seething following the Old Bailey jury's verdict.

The 44-year-old said: "I am angry and disappointed. I can't believe the law of this land. I can't believe they have convicted him.

"He is so straight down the line. He's a better man than me. Above everything else he's the most honest and high-principled man anyone could ever meet.

I can't believe he's in this situation. I'm so disappointed. We will be there every day for that bloke."

Mr Lawrence claimed he had tried to confront detective superintendent Roy Lambert - the man who headed the investigation against his brother - after the guilty verdict, only for the police officer to be ushered away.

As his brother faces a likely custodial sentence, he said his family would do everything they could to help Cheong's fiancée Julie King and his two daughters aged 19 and eight.

Mr Lawrence, of Thruxton, Hampshire, said: "We will be giving every support we possibly can to Michael, his daughters and Julie during the coming weeks.

"Julie's absolutely distraught and doesn't know what to do. They are engaged and were hoping to be married in December when this was all over."

Miss King, who is currently on sick leave from her job as a civilian support worker at Ipswich police station, got engaged to Cheong a month before the trial, on the day his decree absolute came through.

She said: "I was working that day and he rang me up and asked if he could meet me for lunch. He took me to the pub where we had our first date."

Despite his conviction she vowed she would continue to support Cheong every step of the way.

Miss King said: "It's been very difficult, but my love for Michael has seen me through. I have just wanted to support him all the way.

"I have never once doubted his innocence."