Murder of Keith Blakelock

Murder of Keith Blakelock

Police Constable Keith Henry Blakelock QGM (28 June1945 - 6 October 1985) was a police constable in the London Metropolitan Police who was killed by a mob during the Broadwater Farm riot.

Sunderland-born, and a father of three, 40-year-old PC Blakelock was a community police officer in the London Borough of Haringey. He was called to assist colleagues at the scene of wide-spread rioting on the Broadwater Farm estate, in Tottenham.

Late in the evening, firefighters requested police assistance whilst they tackled a fire in one of the tower blocks. A group of police officers, including PC Blakelock, answered the call. They were not specialised riot control police. The level of violence directed at the police and firefighters was such that they were forced to withdraw. Retreating along a walkway, PC Blakelock tripped and fell. He was set upon by a mob with machetes, knives and other weapons, fatally injuring him. Another officer, PC Richard Coombes, was seriously injured in the incident. PC Blakelock's helmet was never recovered.

He was posthumously awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal. Memorials to slain police officers are usually erected at or near where they fell, however a location near the area he usually patrolled was felt to be more suitable at the time. It stands by Muswell Hill Roundabout, Muswell Hill. One of his sons joined Durham Police in 2000.

Investigations

In March 1987 three men, Winston Silcott, Mark Braithwaite and Engin Raghip were convicted of the murder of PC Blakelock, but on 25 November 1991 the Court of Appeal quashed the convictions amid allegations of fabrication of evidence. In 1994 two of the investigating detectives stood trial, and were acquitted of fabricating evidence.

In 2003, police announced that new evidence had come to light. Subsequently the garden of a house in Tottenham was searched with an undisclosed item being found. In 2004 PC Blakelock's overalls were retrieved from Scotland Yard's Crime Museum for a new forensics examination.

As a direct result of the events surrounding the police operation on the night that PC Blakelock was murdered, a "Gold Silver Bronze command structure" was created that replaced ranks with roles. It is now used by all UK emergency services at every type of major incident and also by many private sector organisations.

References

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/6/newsid_4094000/4094928.stm On this day] - 6 October. BBC News online.
* Police Memorial Trust [http://www.policememorial.org.uk/Police_Memorial_Trust/PMT_Local_Memorials/PMT-Blakelock-1985/PMT-Blakelock-1985.htm Memorial to PC Keith Blakelock] .
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/2951985.stm Honour for murdered Pc's son] . (16 April 2003). BBC News online.
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3696180.stm Blakelock officers search garden] . (28 September 2004). BBC News online.
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4331862.stm Man arrested in Blakelock murder] . (11 October 2005). BBC News online.


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