Daughter of murdered MP David Amess taking legal action against police and Home Office

Sir David’s murderer boasted he was able to trick the UK’s anti-terror scheme Prevent when dealing with it

Sir David Amess was an MP for nearly 40 years (Chris McAndrew/PA) (PA Media)

The daughter of murdered MP Sir David Amess is suing the police and government for failing to stop his death.

Katie Amess, 38, launched a High Court civil case for personal injury against the Home Office and Essex Police following her father’s murder in 2021.

Sir David, 69, was stabbed 21 times by Islamic State fanatic Ali Harbi Ali outside a constituency surgery held at a methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

Ali, 28, had been referred to the Home Office’s deradicalisation scheme Prevent seven years earlier but boasted he was able to look compliant when dealing with the organisation.

“Like so many others, Katie Amess was horrified both by the fact of her father’s murder, and the circumstances surrounding it,” Daniel Machover, head of civil litigation at the solicitors firm overseeing Ms Amess’s case told the Daily Mirror.

Ali was referred to the Home Office’s anti-terror scheme prevent but boasted he was able to trick it before murdering Sir David (PA Media)

“She has issued a claim at court as part of her desire to ensure proper accountability and learning from Sir David’s murder.”

It comes after an independent review of the scheme last year found it was failing. Ali, from Kentish Town in North London, spent years planning an attack and earlier had plans to target MPs including Cabinet Minister Michael Gove.

He had emailed Sir David’s office and told him he wanted to discuss foreign affairs. Ali then pulled put a knife, said “sorry”, and stabbed him.

A couple arriving at the surgery heard cries from the MP’s aides as Ali waved the bloodied weapon, shouting: “I killed him.”

Ali, who said he was taking revenge on MPs who voted for airstrikes in Syria, was given a whole life sentence in April 2022.

Father-of-five Sir David was an MP for nearly 40 years before being murdered by an Islamic State fanatic (PA)

A Home Office spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings. It told The Independent: “The government takes the safety of Members of Parliament extremely seriously, and significant work has been taken forward in response to the tragic killing of Sir David Amess.

Essex Police told The Independent: “We are aware that what is in effect a protective claim form has been filed at court, however as these papers have not been served on our force, we are unable to comment any further upon them.

“We remain committed to supporting our elected members across the county in the execution of their public duty and to this end we regularly review and advise around security arrangements for our Members of Parliament. Sir David and the Amess family remain in our thoughts.”