Met firearms officer facing the sack 10 years after firing fatal shot at criminal during prison break
12 May 2025, 08:56 | Updated: 12 May 2025, 09:59
A Metropolitan Police firearms officer could lose his job nearly a decade after shooting dead a career criminal during an attempted prison break.
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The Scotland Yard marksman, known as cypher W80, fired the fatal shot at Jermaine Baker, 28, in December 2015.
Baker was behind a plot to assist two prisoners escape from Wood Green Crown Court in north London.
An imitation Uzi submachine gun was discovered in the back of Baker’s car, and the surviving members of the criminal gang were jailed for a total of 27 years.
W80 and other officers were part of an "intelligence operation" designed to prevent a "dangerous criminal" from escaping custody.
Now, 10 years later, W80 is set to appear before a disciplinary panel in October. The officer faces being dismissed from the force if found guilty of gross misconduct.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, ordered the Met to hold the hearing.
It comes after the watchdog earlier this month said Sgt Martyn Blake, the firearms officer cleared of murdering Chris Kaba, should also face a gross misconduct hearing.
Read more: Police investigating alleged attack on prison officer by Southport triple killer Axel Rudakubana
Meanwhile, a Government review into police accountability could change the way in which armed police officers are scrutinised.
But changes would likely be implemented too late to affect W80 - who could lose their job if they are found guilty of gross misconduct.
At the time of the shooting, W80's case was referred to the watchdog under standard procedure in all police shooting cases .
The officer was suspended five days later.
Almost a year later the independent Police Complaints Commission, the IOPC'S predecessor, found that W80 had a case to answer for gross misconduct for using lethal use of force.
'Honestly believed he posed a lethal threat'
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS was also sent a file to consider whether to hit the officer with a murder charge.
In June 2017, prosecutors ruled that W80 should not face charges. The suspension was lifted and the officer was allowed to return to work.
Nearly a year later, the IOPC ordered the Met to launch disciplinary proceedings against the officer, but the Met challenged the decision in court.
Judges sided with the IOPC, and again ordered that W80 should face a misconduct hearing.
Meanwhile, a separate public inquiry into the fatal shooting found Baker was "lawfully killed", while W80 fired the shot as it was "honestly believed he posed a lethal threat".
A two-week gross misconduct hearing is now due to start on October 6, just weeks before the 10th anniversary of Baker's death.
W80 is still with the Met’s firearms command but is not deployed operationally.
The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) announced yesterday that Sgt Martyn Blake, a Metropolitan Police firearms officer, will face allegations of gross misconduct relating to the shooting in south London in September 2022.
Sgt Blake's looming gross misconduct hearing has sparked outrage amongst his close colleagues after he was unanimously acquitted of the murder of Kaba, 24, after just a couple of hours of deliberation, in October last year.
Speaking exclusively to LBC, one of Sgt Blake’s colleagues who was there on the night of the shooting, says the decision by the IOPC will mean less firearms officers on the streets.
The officer, who we are not naming, left the force shortly after Sgt Blake was charged with murder.
He told LBC: “There are fewer firearms officers because of what’s happened to NX121. We all hoped it would be over but now (the IOPC decision) is going to affect firearms officers.
“It would be a logical step that if they feel like the risk to their liberty and to their overall wellbeing and their mental health and their family security is so great that it's not worth it, then officers may well vote with their feet, and I couldn't blame them for doing so.
“That said, those that remain have made the right decision for them and I honestly think they're the most remarkable people in our country and I think we should do far more to show our gratitude.
“Public safety is put at risk when there are fewer firearms officers, or they are caused to second guess what they're doing for fear of unfair and very long running scrutinous processes that happen when they've acted in accordance with their training and entirely without malice and done their job."
'This has to stop'
Mark Williams, the CEO of the Police Firearms Officers Association charity, has agued delays to cases such as Sgt Blakes's and W80s' have an impact on the officers as well as the force's ability to recruit firearms volunteers.
He told The Telegraph: “Yet again we find a police firearms officer and his family enduring a protracted investigation, for W80 this is now ten years. This has to stop.
“We welcome the Home Office accountability review, and have provided evidence of the significant welfare impacts on officers and their families.
“Common sense must prevail in these situations if we are to encourage men and women to become and remain within armed policing, which is vital to the security of our country."
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “A date has been set for a misconduct hearing for firearms officer W80. It will take place between Monday Oct 6 and Friday Oct 7. The hearing will be led by an independent legally qualified chair, and the police panel member will be from another force.”
“Those investigating these incidents must respect the impact on officers and their families when they go on for so long. Sadly, it does not appear this is a consideration.”
