24 September 2023 , 13:52
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Suella Braverman has been accused of "interfering" in a live prosecution case after commenting about an officer being charged with the murder of Chris Kaba.
The Home Secretary announced she has ordered a review of armed policing after officers handed in their guns over concern about one of their colleagues being charged with the murder of Mr Kaba. She posted a link to a story about officers downing their weapons, with a comment: "Brave firearms officers... mustn’t fear ending up in the dock for carrying out their duties".
Mr Kaba, 24, was unarmed when he was shot and killed in south London last year and an officer was charged with his murder last week. More than 100 officers are reported to have since stepped back from their armed duties as they are "concerned" about a shift in the way their decisions in challenging circumstances are judged.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced she has ordered a review of armed policing (PA)Ms Braverman said: "We depend on our brave firearms officers to protect us from the most dangerous & violent in society. In the interest of public safety they have to make split-second decisions under extraordinary pressures. They mustn’t fear ending up in the dock for carrying out their duties. Officers risking their lives to keep us safe have my full backing & I will do everything in my power to support them. That’s why I have launched a review to ensure they have the confidence to do their jobs while protecting us all."
But experts raised concerns about the Home Secretary's intervention in a live murder case. Nazir Afzal, a former Chief Crown Prosecutor, told his 166,000 Twitter followers: "This is the HOME SECRETARY intervening in an ongoing prosecution. There is no justification for doing so. Would briefing police representatives privately not have sufficed? No, she has to publicly interfere & potentially, adversely, impact the case."
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Former Shadow Business Secretary John Denham, who has more than 14,000 followers, wrote on his social media: "Has there ever in modern times been a worse, more ill-judged interference by a Home Secretary in the course of a criminal prosecution?"
Barrister and former Labour councillor Miranda Grell, who has more than 3,000 followers, tweeted: "The 'Rule of Law' still being cynically used as a continued 'culture war' prop by the current Home Secretary. I'm told she still holds a barrister practising certificate. There aren't enough words to describe how much damage she's doing to the UK's reputation around the world."
Other users queried whether Ms Braverman was questioning the ability and processes of the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorises charges against people. Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, assured last week the decision to charge the officer with murder was “following a thorough review of the evidence provided by the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct)".
“The CPS reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the officer are active and that he has the right to a fair trial," she added. “It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Senior officers, including the Met chief Sir Mark Rowley, have been meeting with firearms officers in recent days to reflect on the murder charge. Scotland Yard acknowledged the situation had prompted "a number of officers" to "step back from armed duties while they consider their position".
Meanwhile the Met is supporting officers who have stepped back from firearms duties to help them "fully understand the genuinely held concerns that they have", a spokesman said. “Many are worried about how the decision impacts on them, on their colleagues and on their families," they said.
"They are concerned that it signals a shift in the way the decisions they make in the most challenging circumstances will be judged. A number of officers have taken the decision to step back from armed duties while they consider their position. That number has increased over the past 48 hours. The Met has a significant firearms capability and we continue to have armed officers deployed in communities across London as well as at other sites including Parliament, diplomatic premises, airports etc."
Mr Kaba, 24, died in Streatham Hill, south-east London, in September last year after he was shot through an Audi car windscreen. The officer accused of his murder, named only as NX121 after a district judge granted an anonymity order, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court and the Old Bailey on Thursday.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “Firearms officers do an extremely challenging job, making split second decisions to keep the British public safe each and every day. They have our full support. It is crucial that they are able to use their powers with legal certainty and clarity. That’s why we are reviewing the framework and processes in place."
They added: "We are mindful of ongoing cases and we will not be commenting further."
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