Supreme Court Rejects Appeal in Jermaine Baker Fatal Shooting
The Supreme Court has slammed the door on an appeal by a Metropolitan Police firearms officer known only as W80. This follows the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) ruling that W80 must face misconduct proceedings over the fatal shooting of Jermaine Baker.
Met Police Back W80 Amidst Legal Storm
Commander Fiona Mallon, head of armed policing, offered condolences to Baker’s family and all impacted by the tragedy. She revealed the Metropolitan Police have been providing full support to W80, his family, and colleagues during this tough ordeal. The Met now faces a crucial reckoning on police use of force policies, promising to review legislation, guidance, and training with policing partners nationwide.
Deadly Incident Sparks Years of Legal Battles
The shooting happened in Wood Green in December 2015 during a covert operation targeting a criminal gang planning to free a convicted armed offender. W80 fired the fatal shot. Police later recovered an imitation firearm from one of the suspects’ cars. The gang members received prison sentences exceeding 30 years.
Legal Wrangling Over Self-Defence Test Ends
An independent IOPC investigation found W80 had grounds for gross misconduct charges. The Met, however, disagreed, prompting the IOPC to order a misconduct hearing. W80 challenged this, arguing the wrong legal test for self-defence was applied. The Supreme Court heard the case in March, backed by the Met.
Now, the Supreme Court has confirmed that civil law self-defence tests govern police disciplinary cases involving use of force. The Crown Prosecution Service had earlier cleared W80 of criminal charges in June 2017. A July 2022 public inquiry ruled Mr Baker’s killing lawful, though it highlighted flaws in the police operation’s planning and execution – flaws that didn’t cause the death.
What’s Next for Officer W80?
The Met will coordinate with the IOPC to decide the next steps on misconduct hearings for W80. This landmark ruling sets a powerful precedent for policing standards across the UK.
