Tuesday 9 February 2010

PC Keith Blakelock



A very quick post - perhaps there is more good news after the Guilty finding of our mate Ali.

Police have now arrested a suspect for the Vicious murder of PC Keith Blakelock in 1985.



The story of his death is well known, but as a small reminder of the horror involved in the attack, he lost his fingers trying to defend himself from the repeated slashing from multiple weapons.

A photo of PC Blakelock's Public Order suit - each white tape represents a seperate stab or slash wound on his body.



The back of PC Blakelock's suit - after he had turned over to try to protect himself, he was attacked repeatedly from the back as he lay on the ground.


Good luck to the team investigating it.

LINK

56 comments:

MTG said...

Substitute one déjà vu moment for another, ATNS. As one major case of false arrest and fabricated evidence comes off the boil, let us have a generous serving of another equally notorious false arrest and fitting up, namely the Silcott malfeasance.

Seamless stitching suit you Sir?

Ben said...

A fifth of murders ar never solved. Sad to say, at a distance of almost 25 years it is very likely that this will remain one of them.

Too much time has passed, witnesses are too tainted, and there is unlikely to be usable forensics.

It could be real this time, but it is as likely someone with a grudge is stirring up trouble for enemies.

Rest in peace, Constable.

George Saint said...

There's a lot more to this story that hasn't been told, including the Silcott involvement and the details of PC Blakelock's injuries. I for one hope that there is enough evidence in this latest arrest to at least put this dreadful episode partially to rest.

blueknight said...

I heard a recording of the control room (cad room?)tape.
Not nice.

JuliaM said...

He'd have been 15or 16 then...

So much for our current yoof being uniquely violent!

Old BE said...

That second picture makes me feel quite unwell.

Area Trace No Search said...

BE, me too. It truly was one of the most horrific attacks imaginable.

Metcountymounty said...

MTG - Silcott was aquitted because some stupid over zealous detectives decided that despite there being sufficient evidence against Silcott et al for PC Blakelocks murder, they tried to falsify more evidence against him to 'make sure' they were convicted. Make no mistake, Silcott was involved in PC Blakelocks murder but ultimately those who tried to falsify additional evidence to sure up the case have betrayed Keith Blakelock, and him only.

MTG said...

MCM, there is a huge mistake in the assumption that great wrong is not done to the whole of society whenever the 'fixing' you have described, occurs.

Such poison from the corrupt in uniform is ever toxic to good public relations and eventually lethal to effective policing.

TonyF said...

I reckon it will be to late now for a really safe conviction. Obviously someone really knows what happened, but unless they can come forward with irrefutable evidence, I feel that Ben may well be right.

Old BE said...

I doubt very much that Mr MCM under-estimates the corrosive effect of police corruption. I interpret the comment to mean that the "fixing" of evidence did not unduly hurt the accused.

MTG said...

You are indeed a most kind interpreter, Blue.

How badly Bentley's Justice faired in consequence of your late birth and unavailability to explain his "Let him have it" shout to Craig.

blueknight said...

I am not sure there was any actual 'fixing'. I thought it was more to do with the fact that the detentions and interviews, held pre PACE were judged against the Codes of Practice that came in after the interviews, but before the trial.

Mrs Piggy said...

Every time I read or hear about this case I shudder at the horror of it all. 25 years on and still the tears come. Then the thought was that could have been my dad now it could be my hubby. Am I alone in wondering (still) how anyone can do that to another person???

aa said...
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Anonymous said...

"Am I alone in wondering (still) how anyone can do that to another person???"

Not at all.

Excuse my cod-psychology but here's how I see it. There is a certain seam of society that sees the government and any "authority" as oppressors. We are lucky in this country that this isn't usually the case but that doesn't stop some people getting all worked up. These people see the police as the front line of the oppression. In their eyes the police can do no right.

A small number of people within this community take the whole thing a bit further and think that anyone who dons the uniform is therefore "fair game". Probably the only thing stopping these people doing nasty things week-by-week is the fear of getting punished. During a riot the chances of being caught doing something nasty diminishes hugely, and therefore my guess is that a particular element would see a riot situation as the perfect chance to do something they would like to do more often.

Anonymous said...

If the senior management had used plastic bullets and|or more aggressive tactics maybe PC Blakelock would be alive today. That why we now have short shields! What is true is the fact already stated Sillcott was not found innocent his conviction was found to be unsafe!!!Big difference!! Does he know it?

Old BE said...

Anon, if you have the time and inclination there is a commenter here who could use an explanation of the difference. Be aware, though, that he only understands single-syllable words.

TheBinarySurfer said...

ATNS - lets hope they put the killer away properly but after 25 years i'm not sure they'll manage to get a conviction.

MTG - well done on finding another set of quotes / historical figure to plagarise in your posts.

TheBinarySurfer said...

Sierra Charlie - couldn't agree more. Fear of punishment keeps the public en mass in check normally, not morals, decency or any other abstract concepts. Simple self-preservation does the trick.

Anonymous said...

Plagarise? plagarise???

Take one hundred lines, bipolar sufferer:

"I must conceal my stupidity and spell plagiarise correctly".

Area Trace No Search said...

Anon at 2121.

It's ok, the vitamin C tablets are good for you.

The BiNasty Sufferer said...

Some things you do but once a lifetime. Mistaking Fiery Jack for hemorrhoid cream is one of them.

blueknight said...

ATNS
I retired in 2005. Put me down as non job or retired job...

Anonymous said...

It's also important to remember the little known fact that the ANIMALS that destroyed Blakelock actually managed to sever his head. I strongly suspect that we had our eyes on the right person(s) the first time around, but a court says they didn't do it, so there! Just like a court said Ali Dizaei wasn't a corrupt arse back in the early naughties. All innocent men. Doesn't mean they didn't do it though.

Anonymous said...

BinarySurfer: I like to think that the majority of people do have morals and a basic level of decency. It's only a minority (albeit a significant one) which would take the opportunity to do bad things when the lights were out.

Perhaps I am just young and naive, though.

Metcountymounty said...

Anon 2336 - the court didn't say they didn't do it, they said the conviction was unsafe - BIG difference.

Anonymous said...

MCM @ 11:11, humble apologies for my lack of clarification and thanks to you for yours.

TheBinarySurfer said...

Sierra Charlie - Your optimism is refreshing, but i don't subscribe to that view these days i'm afraid. Call me an old cynic.

MTG - Well done, you managed to spot a spelling mistake for a post on the internet, that was typed on a blackberry on a moving train while drinking a coffee. I hope it made you sweaty with excitement!

Don't you have some work to do for "Concern4Justice" (oh no - you apparently don't know how to spell Four)? The website hasn't been updated in 2 years.

Alternatively don't you have the names of more unhelpful public sector workers to record in your "database"? It might get larger than 20 if you do!

Failing the above there must be a Daily Wail post you haven't yet commented on from the last 5 years.

As a last resort, surely you will be attempting to stand again as an independant candidate in the next Kirklees election since you failed so spectacularly in 2007? Since you only gathered 85 of 1686 votes cast, you might want to put a bit more effort in this time.

As you can see "Dr Gray" of Almondsbury you are neither anonymous, nor very clever, nor very successful.

I would suggest you put some more effor into your own life and goals before spending time using spell checker to pick apart peoples posts on the internet.

Anonymous said...
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Hogdayafternoon said...

Area, a timely reminder of one of the two rare moments where, on hearing the news, I was thereafter incapable of eating my dinner - the other was on hearing of the sinking of HMS Sheffield.

Like so many other celebrated cases, there was evidence and there were facts and, because of judicial rules and legal interpretations, not all of the latter could be presented as the former. At Hendon, my class was treated to the `behind the scenes inadmissible facts` from one of the SIO's, surrounding the James Hanratty "A6" murder. Hanratty was hanged, his father somewhat tragically spent the rest of his life at Speakers Corner and elsewhere proclaiming his sons innocence, as did many other great liberal minds. Only very recently did the science of DNA confirm the jury was correct. At the trial, fingerprint `facts` could not be used as `evidence` even though the expert would swear to the 11 characteristics they had lifted from the murder weapon were `unique`. In the justice game, points mean prizes and, like you, I hope the latest news means we can get our eyes back on the prize.

TheBinarySurfer said...

Anonymoues - Bravo on a well reasoned, logical and above all original argument as always...

The BiNasty Sufferer said...
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Pete said...

Metcounty @20:10 - why are you defending the police who made up the evidence?

... maybe a case of there but by the grace of G*d go you?

Mega Fast Hoodia said...
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Rach said...

Like BE I cringed when I saw the back of the suit, what can bring someone to carry out such a sustained and violent attack on another human being and worse to think he is still out there...

Pete said...

MCM @ 22:00 - read a lot of Oscar Wilde do you?


:)

Pete said...

..... but your habits arew fixed and utterly predictable: you always stupidly try and protect your fellow woodentops who have so very obvioulsy been caught doing wrong.

After all of these years, you cannot ascend through the ranks. And neither can they. Bless their (your) larcenous, stupid little souls.


... do you miss the days as a lifeguard?

.... do you miss getting beaten up at bus-stops?

:)

Pete said...

..... but your habits arew fixed and utterly predictable: you always stupidly try and protect your fellow woodentops who have so very obvioulsy been caught doing wrong.

After all of these years, you cannot ascend through the ranks. And neither can they. Bless their (your) larcenous, stupid little souls.


... do you miss the days as a lifeguard?

.... do you miss getting beaten up at bus-stops?

:)

Anonymous said...

I am extremely angry that a post about a copper who was stabbed to death during a riot has so many horrible comments on it. Can't you save your Metcountymounty bashing for another day?

Anonymous said...

Does this mean that the twat Silcott was only one of those who did it then? I know a HM Prison Officer who was on Silcot's wing for years; he bragged about it almost every day.

Pete said...

OK Gadget - then it must be true, eh?

You Oaf.


Ever heard of rules of evidence, Inspector Hypocrite?

Pete said...

Another couple of points, Nimrod, or Inspecter Clouseau or what ever the H*ll it is that you call your self these days are:-

Silcott who was wrongly convicted of murder, his conviction was quashed in 1991 when forensic examination showed that his confession had been fabricated.

Silcott received £17,000 compensation for wrongful conviction.

Two of the investigating woodentops were prosecuted for fabricating evidence.

Silcott even received £50,000 in compensation from the Metropolitan Police in an out-of-court settlement for malicious prosecution.


... but you and your buddies down the canteen know how it really is, eh?

"Inspector", you could not detect your ass with both hands. Also your prejudices shine out like a beacon fire on a hill.

You are a disgrace.

MTG said...

Following recent accusations on his own notorious blog - where Inspector Gadget falsely labelled another totally innocent man of a police murder, Clouseau wallows in his mud slinging again.

Inspector Gadget would give no more thought to sacrificing a blameless individual to a fatal heart attack suffered by an obese policeman, than he would stitch up convictions to aid his own career.

I could never trust your evidence on any matter Gadget; the crisis in our police service will be squarely laid at the doors of you and your clones.

Suzanne said...
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Bobbi said...

Poor officer. I've no idea how someone could do that to another person. I don't know how they could live with themselves.

If you're angry with someone, shout at them. Don't hurt them. Best of luck to the investigating team.

Rest in Peace, PC Blakelock

MP9000 said...

Melvin, naff off. Just because you're effectively barred from Gadgets blog, doesn't mean you should go everywhere else spewing your pseudo-intellectual bollocks to anyone that is foolish enough to listen. Enough!

Anonymous said...

A reliable law of UK policing has incivility on the part of those in uniform, inversely proportional to their command of English.

MP9000 said...

Anon (Melvin) @ 13:59.

Were you saying that the most polite police officers you've met were the ones that were unable to string a sentance together? Or is it begrudjing respect for the fact that I am able to ridicule what you say without casting a slur on you personally? If so, then I take that as a compliment.

Bobbi said...

@everybody

This is a post in memory of a dead man, killed in horrible way, as we can see from the number and severity of his injuries.

Regardless of who did/did not kill him, it was a horrific way to die, and his memory deserves some respect.

Can you all please keep your insults out of it, in his memory?

TheBinarySurfer said...

Bobbi, point well made mate. Lets all show some respect for the man and hush, save the heated exchange of views / insults for another post, me included.

Anonymous said...

Mr Tactless @ 10:30 sees the light.

Metcountymounty said...
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bender the robot said...

I am a bender

Brian Paddick said...

Metcounty, Sweetie where are you?


A beautiful roast chicken dinner is waiting for you!

XXX

Brian Paddick said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.