'Courageous' Met marksman 'should never have been charged' with murder of Chris Kaba, Suella Braverman says

Suella Braverman has told LBC Met Firearms officer Martyn Blake should "never" have been charged with murder for the shooting of Chris Kaba.

Mr Blake, 40, stood trial after shooting the 24-year-old through the front windscreen of an Audi Q8 in Streatham, south-east London, in September 2022.

Firearms officer, Martyn Blake, was acquitted by a jury at the Old Bailey after around three and a half hours of deliberation on Monday.

Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari, Braverman said: “These charges should never have been brought against him.

“He was acting in the line of duty, self-defence, in genuine fear of his safety - and his fellow officers.

“In my view, now I can speak freely… I don’t think they should have been brought.”

She described Mr Blake as a “courageous member of our police force” and said he was required to use “extremely difficult judgement.”

The former Home Secretary added that bringing charges against firearm officers “totally undermines confidence in them.”

On the role of firearm officers, she said: “We value them, we need them, we need to change the system so that they know they are protected going forward.”

Mr Kaba was unarmed when he was shot in the head Mr Blake, his arms were on the wheel of his car his car.

On Monday evening, more than 100 people gathered outside the Old Bailey, where a number of speakers demanded "justice" for Mr Kaba and his family.

A banner was held that said "We Keep Each Other Safe", as well as placards saying "Justice for Chris Kaba".

Chants of "Say his name - Chris Kaba" and "No justice - no peace" were heard outside the Central Criminal Court on Monday evening as police closed off the road to traffic.

Mr Kaba's family said they are "devastated" and feel "the deep pain of injustice".

They said the verdict was a failure "for all those affected by police violence", adding that "no family should endure the unimaginable grief we have faced".

In a statement issued by campaign group Inquest, Mr Kaba's family said they would "continue fighting for Chris, for justice, and for real change".

After Martyn Blake was cleared, video footage was released showing the events that unfolded on September 5 2022.

The Crown Prosecution Service released footage featuring police bodycam video from multiple angles. In the video police can be seen swarming around Mr Kaba’s car. Two officers can be heard shouting “show me your hands”.

There is another shout of “show me your hands” while the car moves forwards and backwards.

A single shot rings out and someone can be heard shouting “ we've got shots fired, shots fired.”

A cry of “where from, where from” is then heard, before someone answers “round the front” – followed by shouts of “first aid, first aid”.

Police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct will now consider whether Mr Blake should face a disciplinary hearing.

Mr Blake had never fired a gun at a human being, or seen a gun fired at a human being, before the night Mr Kaba died.

Jurors heard that those close to Mr Blake had been hesitant about him becoming a police marksman but that he felt it was "the best job" in the Metropolitan Police.

The jury of nine men and three women had asked to make a statement to the court alongside their verdict, but permission was denied by Mr Justice Goss.

Official figures show that in England and Wales in the year to March 2023 there were 18,395 police firearms operations.

Police weapons were deliberately fired at 10 of these incidents, resulting in three fatalities.