Southport suspect’s terrorism charge postponed amid growing riot fears | England | News

New charges against the Southport suspect, which were not made public until two weeks due to growing fears of further public unrest, have now been announced.

The statement came as the chairman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) warned that anger over the delayed announcement points to “a real crisis in trust in institutions as a whole”.

The stoppage comes amid concerns that UK firearms officers may stand down in protest, amid an unrelated verdict in the high-profile murder case of Chris Kaba, 24, who was shot dead by a police officer in Streatham, south London, in 2022. with the possibility of a colleague being convicted.

Last week, Merseyside police announced that 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana had been charged with three counts of murder and 10 attempted murders, as well as possessing terrorist material and producing the highly toxic poison ricin, following a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.

The brutality had already sparked violent summer unrest across Britain, fueled by the far right and resulting in more than 1,000 arrests.

It has now emerged that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) first sought permission from the attorney general’s office to charge Rudakubana with possession of biological weapons on October 15, 14 days before the charge was finally announced.

While the CPS normally makes decisions independently to charge suspects, there are a small number of serious crimes (biological weapons charges) that require approval from the government’s two legal officers, the attorney general and the attorney general.

Extensive plans were subsequently made for a public charging announcement, and CPS planned to notify the families of the Southport victims on October 18.

Some 1,000 riot police were on standby that day in anticipation that the news might trigger another series of violent demonstrations.

But instead the attorney general’s office did not grant permission until a week later, on 22 October – then it took a further seven days for the CPS to announce the charges on 29 October.

The Home Office, the CPS and the attorney general’s office refused to comment on why this delay occurred.

But sources say the delay is at least partly linked to significant concerns among ministers, the CPS and the police that the announcement could lead to public disorder.

They noted that by October 18 it had become clear that the murder trial of Martyn Blake, the Metropolitan Police marksman accused of fatally shooting Kaba, was nearing its conclusion.

Throughout that week, ministers are believed to have been preparing for a scenario in which Blake would be found guilty and hundreds of firearms officers would go on strike in protest. When Blake was charged last year, firearms officers returned their weapons in protest.

This led senior government officials to express concerns about the consequences of the new Rudakubana charges being announced before the Kaba verdict, a source said.

On October 21, the jury took just three hours to acquit Blake, a verdict that sparked criticism from black community leaders.

The next day, reporting restrictions were lifted, allowing Kaba’s criminal history to be published. He was said to be a core member of 67, a criminal gang based in Brixton Hill, south London.

Reform MP during Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons Richard Tice He called for police to be more open about their investigations.

Kemi Badenoch, meanwhile, suggested “there are serious questions that need to be asked of the police, the CPS and also the authorities.” Keir Starmer‘s answer”.

But Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Police and prosecutors have an important duty in their investigations – to pursue every lead and take the action they need ahead of trial.

“We must support them and ensure that everything possible is done to ensure justice.”

APCC chair Emily Spurrell said the anger around the announcement was a symptom of wider problems, adding: “We see this real crisis in confidence in institutions as a whole – the police, the health service, parliament, the government.

“When you see people peddling conspiracy theories, they get so close that people who are really vulnerable or worried about what’s going on start believing it.

“While the urgency of the Southport attack has receded, we know there will be these touchpoints as the trial approaches.”