High Court finds Gaddafi aide jointly liable for death of PC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984

16 November 2021, 12:29 | Updated: 16 November 2021, 13:25

Retired police officer John Murray has won his High Court case to hold former Colonel Muammar Gaddafi aide Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk jointly liable for the death of PC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984.

She was shot outside the Libyan Embassy while monitoring a demonstration against the former leader.

Mr Murray promised his dying colleague he would find those responsible for the shots that were fired from an embassy window, and brought a civil claim for a nominal amount of £1 against Mabrouk to seek justice for his dead friend.

Lawyers for Mr Murray accused Mabrouk of being "jointly liable" for the shooting, arguing that, while he did not fire any shots, he was "instrumental" in the "orchestration" of a plan to use violence at the protest.

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Mr Mabrouk was arrested in 2015 in connection with PC Fletcher's death, but two years later the Metropolitan Police said charges could not be brought because key evidence had been kept secret to protect national security.

He has not taken part in court proceedings but previously denied any involvement in PC Fletcher's death, highlighting that he had been arrested earlier, before the shots were fired.

A three-day trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London heard that Mr Murray, who has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since the incident, was seeking "vindicatory" damages for alleged assault and battery.

In a statement following the ruling, Mr Murray said "we have finally achieved justice for Yvonne".

He said: "I am very relieved that it's finally all over and the court has found in our favour.

"This has been a battle lasting 37 years. It is a huge weight off my shoulders. My promise to Yvonne Fletcher to find those responsible for the shooting and to get justice has taken a huge step forward after all these years.

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"This trial over the last few days should not have been necessary. If you go back six years ago to Mabrouk's arrest, a report was submitted by the police to the CPS recommending he be prosecuted. The CPS agreed with that report.

"But due to late interference from the Home Office and Foreign Office, when they refused to allow vital evidence to be used, the prosecution did not go ahead. The Government's interference in the judicial process was disgraceful.

"We have faced many obstacles to get here. But, today, we have proven that we were right all along. Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk was responsible for Yvonne's death. Everything we have done leading up to this verdict has been for Yvonne. Today we have finally achieved justice for Yvonne."