THE mother of a man who died in police custody has accused lawyers of "shameful" behaviour after she received a legal threat demanding the removal of a post on a website set up to demand answers over her son's death.

An internal Police Scotland inquiry is under way into the death of Sheku Bayoh after a struggle with up to nine officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on May 3.

His mother Aminata Bayoh has been angered after receiving a message sent from law firm PBW Law, which represents the officers involved in the death, warning that the Facebook page she created in memory of Mr Bayoh had broken the law.

Mrs Bayoh said the email was "disgraceful" and accused the lawyers of trying to silence a grieving woman. Mr Bayoh's partner Collette Bell also said she was disgusted with the threat and that the social networking page was helping her come to terms with Mr Bayoh's death.

Leading criminal defence lawyer Aamer Anwar, who is representing the family, said any attempt to silence the family went against common decency.

He said: "It is very sad a family in the midst of their grief have been forced to campaign simply to get answers on what happened to Sheku. No family should have to endure what they are going through and certainly nobody with any decency and compassion would attempt to silence them.

"Surely now is the time for the police officers involved to speak up. This Sunday, 21 days will have passed since Sheku's death. The longer the police refuse to speak the harder it becomes for the family and the community to keep an open mind."

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner is investigating the circumstances surrounding Mr Bayoh's death.

Mr Anwar added: "I would urge Chief Constable Stephen House to take control of the situation."

Mrs Bayoh said: "How dare these lawyers threaten my family and Sheku's friends. Do they have no shame? I have not even been able to bury my only son, yet this man abuses my family and thinks he can silence a grieving mother.

"This lawyer should spend more time in getting his police officers to speak, why are they so scared if they have nothing to hide?

"I swear on the body of my son that my family will not stop until we have the truth."

Ms Bell said: "I am disgusted that we have been threatened by lawyers over Sheku's Facebook page. All we are after is the truth. Facebook is the only outlet for people to share stories, give one another support and raise awareness of what happened to my love."

PBW Law warned the family the Facebook page was "in breach of criminal law".

Days after |Mr Bayoh's death, PBW Law's owner Peter Watson issued a statement on behalf of the Scottish Police Federation and the officers involved. He claimed Mr Bayoh "punched, kicked and stamped on"a female officer. The PIRC probe into the death is ongoing.

The email from the firm was sent on May 18, stating that a post on the Facebook page was in breach of criminal law. The post named the female police officer who was allegedly injured during the altercation. It was removed shortly after.

Mr Watson said: "The posts were personally abusive and were in breach of both Facebook's guidelines and those of the Lord Advocate governing social media, and we asked for them to be removed on these grounds. The email was sent to both Facebook and the person who set up the page."