Westminster attack inquests - as they happened: Widow of officer killed by terrorist says police 'left him to die' unarmed on Parliament gates
Coroner to draw up 'prevention of future deaths' report with recommendations for police
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“Shortcomings in security” outside the Houses of Parliament contributed to the death of a police officer during the Westminster attack, a coroner has concluded.
Judge Mark Lucraft QC, the Chief Coroner of England and Wales, said the Metropolitan Police had allowed the entrance PC Keith Palmer was guarding to be neglected by “roving” armed officers.
PC Palmer's widow said he was "left to die", adding: "How could Keith have been left alone, unarmed, guarding an open gate at one of the most iconic buildings in the world and one of the country’s top terrorist targets?”
Judge Lucraft is to draw up a “prevention of future deaths report” that will contain recommendations for the Metropolitan Police and parliamentary security officials.
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Masood, 52, drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge on March 22 last year, killing American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Romanian tourist Andreea Cristea, 31.
Their relatives expressed hope that "lessons had been learned" from the gruelling three-week inquests.
Delivering his conclusions at the Old Bailey, Judge Lucraft said the two armed officers assigned to the area had not been near Carriage Gates for almost an hour before Khalid Masood struck because they were unaware of official guidance.
“They had been some distance away and out of view of the entrance because they had understood their duty to involve a roving patrol around the yard,” Judge Lucraft said.
“Due to shortcomings in the security system at New Palace Yard, including the supervision of those engaged in such duties, the armed officers were not aware of a requirement to remain in close proximity to the gates.
“Had they been stationed there, it is possible that they may have been able to prevent PC Palmer suffering fatal injuries.”
PC Palmer's widow said her husband had been “left to die” by security failings and accused authorities of letting “lax security” continue at the Houses of Parliament for years.
In his closing argument, Gareth Patterson QC, for families of victims on the bridge, urged the coroner to make a report on the circumstances of the case to “protect the public”.
On the role of MI5, whose knowledge of Masood has been heavily scrutinised, he said: “We do think there is room for improvement in terms of decision-making.”
He suggested security services should look again at when to investigate suspects and when to stop, and to take account of violent backgrounds.
Mr Patterson also called for the Government to “try again” with tightening rules for hiring cars.
Dominic Adamson, representing PC Palmer's widow Michelle, said that there was “a systematic failure” in protecting unarmed officers on guard at the Palace of Westminster.
Masood first came to the attention of police at 14 and he failed to get into grammar school, while his brothers described him as violent.
He had an extensive history of violence and domestic abuse. He served one sentence for wounding in 2000 and was jailed again in 2003 for another attack
The 2003 incident led to him being charged for attempted murder after the victim sustained "horrific" injuries, but Masood was acquitted of the offence after claiming it was self-defence
Masood's 2000 prison sentence and 2003 remand are "of significant". When he entered for the second time he gave his religion as Muslim.
He then went to work in Saudi Arabia and remarried in 2004 for a brief time. He returned to Saudi Arabia in 2005 and changed his name from Adrian Russell Elms to Khalid Masood by deed poll
He married for a third time and his wife recalled him meeting with a man wearing a tracking tag for a terror offence.
After another trip to Saudi Arabia, Masood attempted to convert another man to Islam and started going to the gym and taking steroids, sparking more arguments with his wife, who later separated from him and returned from Birmingham to London
In 2016 he received a job offer from a university, then expressed an interest in travelling to Morocco.
On 7 March 2017 he told his mother about his potential travel to Morocco with his mother. He was in debt at the time of his death and had a loan application turned down.
Records show he converted to Islam during his 2000 prison sentence but his "acceptance" of the religion changed in the second sentence
He bought knives and made inquiries about Calor gas on 9 March. On 14 March he was making internet searches about speed and crash tests for the Hyundai Tuscon
On 16 March he colleted the car hired online and drove to meet his mother and stepfather. He said he was thinking of moving to a Muslim country but couldn't go to Saudi because of his criminal record and could go to Morocco instead
"They will say I'm a terrorist, but I'm not," he said as he left
On 18 March he paid a reconnaissance trip to London, driving around Westminster including crossing Westminster Bridge and Parliament Square.
He returned at 10.30am on the day of the attack
At 14.38, Masood set off from the bus lane on Westminster Bridge after sending messages including a "Jihad" document
The inquest heard that Masood had sought to convert others and had links to al-Muhajiroun members in Luton and Crawley.
Judge Lucraft recounts Masood's mother saying her son would "want to talk about nothing but religion" after his conversion but could not recall any hostility towards the West or other religions
She knew he had been to Crawley in 2004 at the direction of someone he met in prison. IN a later email he blamed his mother for blighting his life by sending him to a comprehensive school
Masood's mother said it "did not cross her mind" that he was preparing an attack and said she would have called 999 if she did.
Masood's widow, who he married in 2006, described how strict he was enforcing his perception of Islam. He spoke about someone he met in prison who was on drugs charges "giving him the message of Islam"
She described him being angry on steroids and ranting
