This week, Mr Kaba's killer, Martyn Blake , was dramatically found not guilty of his murder after being accused of shooting 'without justification' to stop the fleeing gang member escaping police. MailOnline looks at how the fatal shooting unfolded.
LISTEN: For more on this case, listen to The Mail's No. True Crime podcast 'The Trial of Officer Blake.' Out now, wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN:Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced firearms officers will have their identities kept secret during criminal trials involving police shootings after an armed sergeant was found not guilty of murdering Chris Kaba .
In a statement to the Commons today, Ms Cooper told MPs: 'When officers act in the most dangerous situations on behalf of the state it is vital that those officers and their families are not put in further danger during any subsequent legal proceedings. 'We will therefore introduce a presumption of anonymity for firearms officers subject to criminal trial following a police shooting in the course of their professional duties, up to the point of conviction.'
She added: 'We will align the threshold for the referral of police officers from the Independent Office of Police Conduct to the Crown Prosecution Service to that used by the police when referring cases involving a member of the public. Currently that threshold is lower for police officers and that is not justified.
And police officers found guilty of particular criminal offences will be automatically found to have committed gross misconduct and have a 'presumption of dismissal', the Home Secretary said. Lord Blair, who was Scotland Yard chief commissioner between 2005 and 2008 said that if the sergeant had been convicted of murder, it would have been 'difficult to imagine' Scotland Yard continuing to deploy armed police.
He had shot Mr Kaba, who was fleeing a police chase in an Audi Q8, to prevent him from running over other officers, the trial heard. 'Had the officer been convicted, it is difficult to imagine how the Met could have continued to deploy armed officers to deal with the type of difficult circumstances that unfolded that evening in Streatham.'
The former marksman called for police officers who take fatal shots to face court martial-style hearings rather than jury trials. 'But in circumstances where they have been asked to do their job, the hardest job in policing – to potentially put their life on offer or to take a life – and they are adhering to their training, no, they shouldn't be prosecuted. That's not an unlawful act.
He also warned of potential knock-on effects on police morale, adding: 'We've seen when the decision was made to charge, the reaction of armed police officers – some no longer wanting to carry weapons. 'An independent review of the decision-making in this system and how the process of holding the police to account works, that is open to both sides, would be incredibly important in this case.'A computer generated image issued by the Crown Prosecution Service of a reconstruction shown to the court at the Old Bailey of the position of two firearms officers in front of the Audi
The Prime Minister added: 'It's also important that the police know that we have confidence in them doing a very difficult job so we will pick that up.'
News Martyn Blake Chris Kaba Met Police
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Met Police marksman Martyn Blake found NOT GUILTY of murdering Chris Kaba after shooting him through...Court footage shows the first follow of Chris Kaba's Audi by police. It was released during the trial of Martyn Blake, 40, at the Old Bailey over the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba, after the motorist tried to escape from police.
Read more »
Chris Kaba was 'gunman in nightclub shooting' days before his death, court toldSergeant Martyn Blake, 40, was cleared of Mr Kaba’s murder on Monday
Read more »
Met Police calls for misconduct hearing against firearms officer Martyn Blake to be abandoned after...The police watchdog decided last year that the sergeant should face a separate gross misconduct hearing relating to his 'use of force' after the conclusion of the case.
Read more »
Met Police calls for misconduct hearing against firearms officer Martyn Blake to be abandoned after...The police watchdog decided last year that the sergeant should face a separate gross misconduct hearing relating to his 'use of force' after the conclusion of the case.
Read more »
Met Police calls for misconduct hearing against firearms officer Martyn Blake to be abandoned after...After the verdict was announced, dramatic video from September 5, 2022 revealed the moment Blake shot Mr Kaba through a car windscreen before shouts of 'shots fired', 'where from' and 'first aid' could be heard.
Read more »
'We're not executioners': Firearms officers' despair over Chris Kaba caseOne ex-firearms officer said the Met is struggling to attract recruits to its armed unit over fears of prosecution
Read more »