Man Arrested Over PC’s 1985 Riot Killing
10:05pm UK, Tuesday February 09, 2010
Katie Cassidy, Sky News Online
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering PC Keith Blakelock in north London 25 years ago.
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The officer was killed during the Broadwater Farm riots in Tottenham on October 6, 1985.
He died while trying to protect firefighters dealing with a blaze that had been started by a mob on the council estate.
In 1987, three men – Winston Silcott, Mark Braithwaite and Engin Raghip – were convicted of PC Blakelock’s murder, but the convictions were quashed on appeal.
On Friday, a 40-year-old man was arrested in Suffolk and taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Station where he was questioned.
Reports said he was arrested at Highpoint Prison, near Haverhill, but Scotland Yard refused to confirm or deny this.
Sky’s crime correspondent Martin Brunt said the suspect – who would have been 15 at the time of the killing – has been released on bail.
“There have been no charges yet, but I think this shows the determination that Scotland Yard signalled seven years ago when they relaunched the investigation into PC Blakelock’s murder,” he said.
Brunt added while the identity of the man has not been revealed, it was not Mr Silcott.
In an interview with Sky News in June 2007, Mr Silcott said: “If they find the real killer, then people might stop linking my name with the murder.”
:: Police have appealed to anyone who has information regarding the murder or the attempted murder of PC Richard Coombes – who was also attacked that night – to contact the incident room on 020 8733 4613.