PC Blakelock trial date set

A provisional trial date has been set at the Old Bailey for a 44-year-old man charged with the murder of PC Keith Blakelock during the Broadwater Farm riots in 1985.

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Provisional date set for Blakelock murder trial

Sketch of Nicholas Jacobs when he appeared in court on Wednesday. Credit: Priscilla Coleman/ITV News

A provisional trial date has been set at the Old Bailey for a 44-year-old man charged with the murder of Pc Keith Blakelock during the Broadwater Farm riots in 1985.

Nicholas Jacobs is accused of killing the 40-year-old officer, who was stabbed as he tried to protect firefighters tackling a blaze at a supermarket at the height of the unrest in Tottenham, north London.

Jacobs appeared at the court via video-link from Belmarsh prison in south east London, and a provisional trial date was set for March 4 next year.

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Blakelock investigation continues, 28 years on

PC Keith Blakelock died during riots on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham, north London, on 6 October 1985.

Twenty-eight years later, a new suspect - 44-year-old Nicholas Jacobs - has been charged with the officer's murder.

  • PC Blakelock, 40, was stabbed to death as he tried to protect firefighters tackling a blaze at a supermarket at the height of the unrest
  • Three men - Winston Silcott, Mark Braithwaite and Engin Raghip - were convicted in March 1987 of Blakelock's murder
  • All three convictions were quashed four and a half years later, after forensic tests on pages of key interview records suggested they had been fabricated
  • Scotland Yard reopened the murder investigation in 2003 after a review indicated there were possible new lines of inquiry
  • In 2010, 14 men were arrested in connection with PC Blakelock's death and the attempted murder of his colleague PC Richard Coombes
  • Nine were told in August 2011 that they would face no further action, and the rest except Jacobs have now been released.

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'Sufficient evidence' to prosecute for Blakelock murder

The CPS said there is "sufficient evidence" to prosecute Nicholas Jacobs over the 1985 murder of PC Keith Blakelock.

They added there was "insufficient evidence" prosecute five other suspects.

Alison Saunders, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London, said:

Following a thorough investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service, we have decided that Nicholas Jacobs should be charged with the murder of PC Keith Blakelock during the disorder at Broadwater Farm in October 1985.

This decision was taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. We have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to prosecute.

We have also concluded that no further action should be taken against five other individuals suspected of taking part in the death of PC Blakelock as there is insufficient evidence to warrant a prosecution.

– Alison Saunders
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