Police are close to charging a man with the murder of policeman Keith Blakelock during the Broadwater Farm riots 28 years ago, it was reported today.
PC Blakelock, 40, stumbled and was surrounded by a mob screaming “Kill the pig” as he tried to protect firefighters tackling a supermarket fire during the riot in Tottenham, north London on 6 October, 1985.
He was stabbed and attempts were then made to decapitate him. A trial later heard that the mob intended to parade his head on a pole.
Three people, Winston Silcott, Engin Raghip and Mark Braithwaite were convicted of murder in 1987, but their convictions were later quashed on appeal four-and-a-half years later.
The inquiry was re-started in 2003 and police revealed in 2010 that ten people had been arrested over the murder. Officers have been working for some time with prosecutors over a small number of cases that could result in charges.
The Daily Mail reported today that the suspect is not one of the three who were originally prosecuted. Scotland Yard said it had conducted regular consultations with the Crown Prosecution Service but declined further comment.