Scotland Yard faces lawsuit over PC Keith Palmer’s death after his wife claimed the Met left him with no protection before he was killed in Westminster terror attack
- Metropolitan Police Service is facing a lawsuit over the death of PC Keith Palmer
- Officer was killed during the 2017 Westminster terror attack by Khalid Masood
- The Met confirmed it had received a ‘letter of claim’, it has been reported
The Metropolitan Police Service is facing a lawsuit over the death of PC Keith Palmer during the Westminster terror attack, it has been reported.
Chief Coroner Mark Lucraft QC ruled in 2018 that PC Palmer could still be alive if armed officers were stationed with him at the Carriage Gates at the Palace of Westminster.
During the attack in March 2017, they were positioned 80 yards away while terrorist Khalid Masood, 52, stabbed PC Palmer, 48, with two 12-inch knives.
The Met, who is said to have refused to accept responsibility, confirmed to The Mirror it had received a ‘letter of claim’, which is used by lawyers to outline the legal basis for the action.
PC Palmer’s wife Michelle said after the inquest that her husband ‘was left at a vulnerable location with no protection’ – but her solicitor has refused to comment on the letter.
The Metropolitan Police Service is facing a lawsuit over the death of PC Keith Palmer (pictured) during the Westminster terror attack, it has been reported
Chief Coroner Mark Lucraft QC ruled in 2018 that PC Palmer (pictured with his wife) could still be alive if armed officers were stationed with him at the Carriage Gates at the Palace of Westminster
The officer’s family also said that following the inquest into his death, senior officers ‘seem to have closed ranks’.
Mrs Palmer added: ‘They let Keith down by failing to protect him and let us down by failing to investigate his death properly. Now we have to live with the consequences of their failure.’
A Met spokesman confirmed it had received a ‘letter of claim’ but Mrs Palmer’s solicitor refused to comment on it, the publication reported.
PC Palmer, 48, was guarding the Carriage Gates at the Palace of Westminster in March 2017 when Masood embarked on his rampage.
After mowing down and killing four pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, he rammed into the Houses of Parliament and burst out with a carving knife and a hunting knife.
During the attack in March 2017, they were positioned 80 yards away while terrorist Khalid Masood, 52, stabbed PC Palmer (pictured), 48, with two 12-inch knives
Armed only with a baton and CS spray, PC Palmer was held down by Masood and repeatedly stabbed in the face, neck and back after trying to intervene in his deadly assault.
His body armour did not protect him and he died from his wounds just minutes later while witnesses tried to save him.
Masood was finally shot by two close protection officers who only happened to be at Parliament because they were guarding then-defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon.
The two armed officers on duty at Parliament on the day of the attack had not gone near the gate for almost an hour beforehand.
They were 80 yards away when PC Palmer was stabbed and could not see the attack unfold.
Following a four-week inquest, Mr Lucraft said that had the armed officers been stationed at the Carriage Gates, ‘it is possible they may have been able to prevent PC Palmer suffering fatal injuries’.
He claimed: ‘Due to shortcoming in security system … the armed officers were not aware of a requirement to remain in close proximity to the gates.
‘Had they been stationed there, it is possible that they may have been able to prevent PC Palmer suffering fatal injuries.’
Since PC Palmer’s death, Scotland Yard has been accused of unfairly blaming the junior officers to hide systematic security failings.
The marksmen insist they were simply following orders by focusing their attentions on another entrance at Parliament that was commonly used by MPs and ministers.