The Independent

The police marksman on trial for killing Chris Kaba was no “RoboCop” with the “nanosecond” reactions of a computer, a court has heard.

Metropolitan Police officer Martyn Blake shot 24-year-old Mr Kaba in the head through the windscreen of an Audi Q8 which had been linked to a shotgun incident the night before.

The Old Bailey has heard how unarmed Mr Kaba knew the police were following him and when surrounded by armed response vehicles had tried to smash and ram his way out.

The police marksman who shot Chris Kaba has told a jury he thought one of his colleagues was about to die when he opened fire.

Giving evidence in public for the first time at the Old Bailey on Monday, Martyn Blake said he was “filled with dread” as the Audi Mr Kaba was driving moved backwards and forwards with police officers surrounding the car.

Mr Blake fatally shot Mr Kaba, 24, through the windscreen of the Audi in Streatham, south-east London on September 5 2022.

Chris Kaba told a friend the police were behind him minutes before he was shot dead through the windscreen of his car by a firearms officer, a court has heard.

Elisha Fizul called the 24-year-old on WhatsApp 10 minutes before he was killed by Martyn Blake during a police stop in Streatham, south London, the Old Bailey was told.

His last words before they lost contact were “Lish, one sec, I think there is police behind me”, jurors heard.

A police marksman shot Chris Kaba dead believing “one or many” officers could be killed as the suspect attempted to escape at “any cost”, a court has heard.

Martyn Blake, 40, shot the 24-year-old in the head through the windscreen of an Audi car during a police stop in Streatham, south London, on September 5 2022.

Moments before, Mr Kaba had tried to get away by driving forward and then reversing into a police car which had blocked him in, jurors have heard.

A police marksman shot Chris Kaba dead believing “one or many” officers could be killed as the suspect attempted to escape at “any cost”, a court has heard.

Martyn Blake, 40, shot the 24-year-old in the head through the windscreen of an Audi car during a police stop in Streatham, south London, on September 5 2022.

Moments before, Mr Kaba had tried to get away by driving forward and then reversing into a police car which had blocked him in, jurors have heard.

A Metropolitan Police marksman may have been “angry, frustrated and annoyed” when he took the decision to shoot to kill Chris Kaba, a court has heard.

Martyn Blake, 40, has gone on trial at the Old Bailey charged with murdering Mr Kaba.

The 24-year-old was in the driving seat of an Audi car when he was shot in the head in Streatham, south London, on September 5 2022.

Prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors Blake’s decision to use lethal force was “not reasonably justified or justifiable”.

A Metropolitan Police firearms officer may have been “angry, frustrated and annoyed” when he shot Chris Kaba in the head through the windscreen of a car, a court has heard.

The Old Bailey heard it was “not necessary” for operational firearms commander Martyn Blake to fire his gun after police had boxed in the 24-year-old driver.

Mr Blake, 40, denies murdering Mr Kaba during a police stop in Streatham, south London, on 5 September 2022.

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder and arson after a man died following a suspicious house fire in south London.

The Metropolitan Police were called by London Fire Brigade to a multi-occupancy house in Glenister Park Road, Streatham, shortly after 7pm on Sunday, where they found a 49-year-old man dead inside.

On Monday a 34-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life.

She remains in custody at a south London police station.

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of a man was found inside a house fire in south London.

Flames was seen by neighbours ripping through the ground floor of the property in Streatham as firefighters burst in to tackle the blaze at 7pm on Sunday.

They found the body of a 49-year-old man dead in the multi-occupancy home in Glenister Park Road.

Scotland Yard believes the fire was started deliberately and is being treated as suspicious.