Met found guilty over Stockwell
The Metropolitan Police Service have been found guilty of Health and Safety breaches in the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
The Metropolitan Police Service have been found guilty of Health and Safety breaches in the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
The Met was prosecuted following an Independent Police Complaints Commission inquiry found that no individual should be held liable for his death but that the organisation, represented by the Commissioners office should have protected the public from the risks involved in policing the aftermath of the July bombings.
The Met was fined £175,000 and ordered to pay costs of £385,000.
The judge said that the Gold Commander, Cressida Dick, bore no personal culpability.
The Met strongly denied that it was liable and its Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, warned that a guilty verdict would have a profound effect on policing.
Amid calls for his resignation from both Londons Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups, the Commissioner has received support from his police authority and the Home Secretary.
MPA chair Len Duvall said: ”We ask the police to do a difficult job on our behalf and sometimes they make mistakes.
“This case led to the tragic death of an innocent man. Our ultimate aim is to make sure we all learn from this tragedy.”
He said the MPA fully supported Sir Ian and would continue to work with him.
However, Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman, said: “This guilty verdict makes it unavoidable that Ian Blair should take responsibility on behalf of his whole organisation and resign.”
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said that this was a complex case which raised a number of important issues for policing and the Home Office will consider carefully the implications of the verdict with the police service.
She said: “The trial reminds us all of the extremely demanding circumstances under which the police work to protect us from further terrorist attack. The Commissioner and the Metropolitan Police remain in the forefront of the fight against crime and terrorism. They have my full confidence and our thanks and support in the difficult job that they do.”