The Metropolitan Police Authority has written to the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, over the CPS decision to prosecute the Met for an alleged breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act following the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes on 22 July 2005.
According to MPA Deputy Chair Reshard Auladin “the MPA expressed grave concerns about this proposed prosecution at our meeting on 27 July 2006. All members agreed to write to the Attorney General to request that he gave further consideration to this prosecution.”
Mr Auladin said the Authority is concerned that the decision to prosecute “will delay publication of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation report” which was essential to help ensure public confidence in the IPCC.
“The Authority is adamant there must be full and proper accountability for the tragic death of Mr. De Menezes. But we are not convinced that the intended prosecution is the best way to give a transparent and comprehensive accounts of events in July last year.”
The MPA’s letter to Lord Goldsmith contains three requests
1. that the Attorney General, with the Home Secretary, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the IPCC consider publishing as soon as possible the IPCC Report along with a full explanation of the CPS decisions;
2. that the Attorney General reconsiders whether this prosecution should proceed and whether there is a better, less adversarial alternative that would enable all involved to learn the lessons from events of that day in order to strengthen public protection and reassurance; and
3. that the Attorney General in conjunction with the Home Secretary initiate an urgent review of the application of Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to operational policing.
The full text of the letter can be found at www.mpa.gov.uk/news/prosecution.htm
