Former Policing Minister Sir Mike Penning MP has welcomed today’s judgment by the High Court that Libyan Salah Ibrahim Mabrouk has been found ‘jointly liable’ for the murder of Police Constable Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan Embassy in London in 1984.

The civil case was brought by PC Fletcher’s friend and colleague John Murray who is now retired from the police.

Sir Mike said:

“I am full of admiration and respect for the resolute determination shown by Mr Murray who has achieved this result for Yvonne. Today’s judgment is a victory for natural justice, but we need to do more, morally and legally.

“The Government surely can no longer justify blocking the criminal prosecution of Mabrouk and those who perpetrated this appalling crime.

“For this to be successful the CPS needs access to the security service records and the UK Government now needs to put the highest-level resources to work to track down the other suspects who are still at liberty and work with the Libyan Government to bring them to trial here.

“Successive governments have failed to prosecute, despite Mabrouk having been living in the UK.

“We need a public inquiry without further delay.”

Earlier this year Sir Mike tabled Early Day Motion No. 34 which reads:

That this House notes the significant amount of work done to identify a suspect in the murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan Embassy on 17 April 1984; notes that the CPS were of the opinion that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute; regrets that the suspect was permitted to leave the UK and endorses calls for an inquiry into PC Fletcher's murder.