Home Office evidence bombshell leaves Yvonne Fletcher suspect ‘getting away with murder’

A suspect in the 1984 murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher will not be prosecuted despite police saying they believe they could identify those responsible for the officer’s death.

Hopes have been dashed of bringing to justice the killer of the 25-year-old outside the Libyan Embassy in London after “national security” concerns resulted in an investigation being dropped.

The Home Office has reportedly blocked the use of key evidence in the case forcing detectives to admit on Tuesday (May 16) that prosecutors would be unable to get a conviction as a result.

Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk, a former education minister under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi who was arrested in connection with WPC Fletcher`s shooting 18 months ago, has been told the investigation against him will not proceed “at this time”.

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) condemned the decision as “literally getting away with murder”.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officer was killed as she policed a demonstration against Libya`s former leader, outside the Libyan People`s Bureau in St James`s Square on April 17, 1984. She was hit in the back by automatic gunfire from the direction of the embassy.

The shooting sparked a ten-day siege of the building before 30 of the occupants were deported back to Libya.

No-one has ever been prosecuted over the killing.

Mr Mabrouk`s arrest in November 2015 on suspicion of conspiracy to murder had been described as a “significant turning point”.

But the decision by the MPS and Crown Prosecution Service to release the suspect from his bail without charge has left the officer’s family “deeply disappointed and frustrated”.

In a statement they said: “We understand that some available evidence could not be used in court but are satisfied that the Metropolitan Police has left no stone unturned in its pursuit of justice in Yvonne`s case.

“We had hoped that the latest turn of events would finally lead to some closure for the family.”

The MPS said its investigation had “resulted in a deeper understanding” of the circumstances surrounding the killing and the “associated terrorist activity targeting Libyan dissidents in the UK and across Europe in the 1980s”.

A spokesperson added: “We believe our investigation has identified enough material to identify those responsible for WPC Fletcher’s murder if it could be presented to a court. However, the key material has not been made available for use in court in evidential form for reasons of national security.

“Therefore, without this material and following a review of all the evidence that was available to prosecutors, the Crown Prosecution Service – who we worked closely with throughout – have informed us that there is insufficient admissible evidence to charge the man.”

Steve White, chair of the PFEW, raged: “Can the law really be fit for purpose when it protects those responsible for killing someone charged with keeping us safe?

“The Metropolitan Police has been scrupulous in its efforts to bring Yvonne’s killer to justice but this will look to many like people can quite literally get away with murder, it’s a disgrace.

“We will never forget Yvonne or any of those that pay the ultimate sacrifice.”

Ken Marsh, chair of the Metropolitan Police federation, said he was still clinging on to the hope “we will get who did it”.

Mr Mabrouk was with the demonstrators outside the embassy on the day Fletcher was killed and was deported from the UK after the murder. But that order was later lifted, allowing him to return to Britain under an initiative to improve relations with Libya that formed part of a deal ultimately aimed at bringing the Libyan Lockerbie bombing suspects to trial.

The MPS said that counter-terrorism officers had pursued “hundreds of lines of inquiry”, including making visits to Libya to gather evidence and reviewing material previously unseen by the police, as they investigated what they said was an “act of state-sponsored terrorism”.

The force said that although the investigation would always remain open, it pointed