Page 31 - Top Cover Issue 4

TOP COVER +557'

up is what PRs are paid vast fortunes for A very rare example of this happening At the time the inquest into the death
by multi-national corporations, football was back in 2005 when I spearheaded a of 32 year-old barrister Mark Saunders
clubs and even Big Brother contestants. campaign at the News of the World, calling was continuing. !e Policemen who shot
Since the huge media storm that for justice for two Officers who had been him in 2008 were criticised for remaining
surrounds Police shootings is never arrested on suspicion of murder, gross anonymous – while the bereaved family
going to go away, it cannot be ignored. It negligence, manslaughter and conspiracy heard how Saunders “was gunned down
needs to be tackled head on by providing to pervert the course of justice. by marksmen in a hail of bullets.”
open and accurate accounts. Chief Inspector Neil Sharman and PC It is up to coroners to decide whether
Kevin Fagan shot Harry Stanley in 1999 to grant anonymity to Police Officers
when they mistook a table leg he was and there is nothing explicit in the law to
carrying in a bag for a gun. help them reach a decision. !e coroners’
!e now defunct Sunday newspaper ‘bible’ – Jervis On Coroners – says neither
set out to prove that the Officers, dubbed a ‘wholly irrational’ fear of possible
!e Table Leg Two, could not have reprisal against a Police Officer, nor a
possibly known that Stanley was not ‘vague and unspecified threat’ is enough
holding a gun, showing what a difficult to justify the granting of anonymity. And
decision the Officers had to make when a Police witness is allowed to hide
when he pointed his package at them. his or her identity, ‘this does not lessen
In a public poll an overwhelming 87% the court’s task but instead increases the
of readers voted for the Officers to be need for vigilance.’
cleared of the charges. After seven years !e Independent Police Complaints
of uncertainty, they were finally told Commission’s policy is not to name
they would not face disciplinary action. Officers involved in fatal shootings
!e Stanley family spoke of their ‘bitter unless they are charged with a criminal
disappointment’ at the ruling, while the offence.
Police yet again said nothing. And PFOA chairman Mark Williams
!at story was highly unusual in that explained: “Firearms Officers are often
Sharman and Fagan agreed to be named involved in sensitive covert and overt
and photographed. !ey are among a operations. Revealing their identity
small handful of Officers who have been could threaten their safety and the safety
identified following their involvement of those around them when deployed on
in fatal shootings. such operations.”
An investigation by the Mail on However, a few Officers have actually
Sunday in 2010 showed that since 1995 spoken out to defend their actions.
a total of 55 Officers have opened fire After Andrew Kernan was shot dead in
on and killed members of the public, Liverpool in 2001, PC Michael Moore
but in only two other cases have their told the inquest how he opened fire with
names been revealed. a high-powered rifle when the 37 year-
old refused to drop a 3ft-long Samurai
sword, after failing to restrain him with
CS spray. !e Officers were cleared of
blame and told they had acted ‘bravely.’
In another case, PC Chris Sherwood was
acquitted of murder and manslaughter
after shooting James Ashley while he was
naked and unarmed. Although Sussex
Police admitted negligence and the chief
constable resigned, PC Sherwood said he
had opened fire in self-defence.
It’s time to stop saying ‘No Comment.’
!e implication is that there is something
to hide, something we are not allowed to
know. A cover up ■