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.
PC Palmer's widow, Michelle, accused the Metropolitan Police of letting "lax security" continue at the Houses of Parliament for years".
“He was left at a vulnerable location with no protection to die. The fact there were no firearms officers there for nearly an hour is hard to believe. I truly believe that if they had been there he would still be here today and Amy wouldn't have lost her daddy. What is so disappointing is that the police haven't been very open about their investigation in relation to the security arrangements at the Palace of Westminster. They have been very slow to get to the bottom of how this was allowed to happen. What makes it even worse is that this lax security had been carrying on for years and it has taken what happened to Keith for things to change.
PC Palmer's parents and siblings, John and Sylvia Curtis, Angela Clark, Michelle Palmer, and John Curtis said: “The inquest has been traumatic and extremely difficult for our family.
“We welcome the fact that the Chief Coroner has recognised some of the Met's failings - and their consequences - but believe he should have gone further. We fought hard to try and get answers to the many questions which have arisen through this process.
“Unfortunately there are many which are still unanswered.
“We expected the Met to welcome an open and transparent examination of this horrific attack on its own officer and members of the public, yet instead senior officers seem to have closed ranks. What message does this send to ordinary officers bravely reporting for duty every day, to keep us all safe?
“We would like to say how proud we are of Keith. We now have an even clearer picture of just how brave and courageous he was in that terrible moment. We love and miss him every day, but we are very glad that we had him in our lives.”
Meanwhile the widower of Aysha Frade, John Frade, said the family hope lessons will be learned.
He said: “Even though these proceedings can never bring Aysha back we are here to make sure that the only ones who are remembered as a result of this atrocity are Aysha and the other victims.
“One of the first pieces of advice Aysha ever gave me was that for things to change, you need to change.
“We hope that as a part of her legacy lessons will be learned in preventing other families from being in this situation in the future.
“Aysha will be forever our guiding light and even though our family will never be the same without her, we will continue to fight against the injustice.”
Speaking about the coroner's findings, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the head of national counterterror policing, said: “We unreservedly accept his conclusions.
”Even the possibility that the Met lost the chance to prevent the murder of such a brave and courageous officer is unacceptable.
“For the loss of that possibility to protect him from Khalid Masood, we are deeply sorry.”
The officer said PC Palmer “acted with tremendous bravery and heroism” on the day of the attack, adding that “his courage will never be forgotten”.
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