Firearms officer cleared of murder ‘should never have stood trial’, says Federation

Sergeant Martyn Blake, 40, was acquitted unanimously by the jury following a trial at the Old Bailey, which ended on Monday (October 21).

Mr Kaba, 24, died after he was fatally shot in Streatham Hill, South London, following a pursuit by specialist Metropolitan Police Service firearms officers (see https://policeprofessional.com/news/mps-officer-acquitted-of-murder-following-fatal-shooting-of-chris-kaba/).

Matt Cane, general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “Sgt Martyn Blake was yesterday found not guilty by a jury of the murder of Chris Kaba.

“He should never have stood trial.

“We welcome the decision of the court to lift reporting restrictions in relation to Mr Kaba.”

The court heard that Mr Kaba was allegedly “a core member of a notorious South London gang” and was accused of being involved in a shooting at a nightclub days before he was killed.

“Being a firearms officer in London is one of the world’s toughest jobs,” said Mr Cane.

“Officers, who volunteer for this role, know the responsibility and accountability that comes with it. All firearms officers are highly skilled, their training is intensive, and they undertake regular continuous training to enable them to perform the challenging role which they do.

“Our police officers, however, must also have confidence that they have the protection needed to do the difficult and dangerous jobs society expects of them.

“The Metropolitan Police Federation, and the officers we represent, remain astonished that a brave colleague could be charged with murder, doing the job that society expects of him.”

He added: “The ramifications of this case remain widespread; police officers should not have their livelihoods, and their liberty, put at risk for performing what unequivocally, in this case, was his lawful and appropriate function.

“As a Federation, we continue to work with the Metropolitan Police Service to ensure that colleagues, who make the decision to carry firearms, remain fully supported in their difficult and demanding jobs.

“It remains a matter of grave concern, that investigations into the most serious complex and dynamic operational scenarios, such as this, are carried out by those who seemingly have little, or no, experience of policing, no understanding of this type of fast moving and dangerous operational trained, tactic, involving split second decision making in the most difficult and challenging circumstances. The flaws which arise in such investigations, are then compounded by poor decision making by the CPS, and others.

“We will continue to provide our full support to Sgt Blake, and his family, following this verdict. We have been supporting them throughout.

“We thank the legal team of the officer for their work, and it would be our hope and expectation now that our colleague is allowed to carry on with his life, and that he and his family can return to some semblance of normality after the debilitating trauma they have all suffered over the past two years.

“We would respectfully suggest that very careful consideration should be given as to what is served by any further scrutiny of these events through any disciplinary process, accepting that, of course, it may yet be that an Inquest will be considered appropriate, notwithstanding the unanimous verdict of this jury.”