Yvonne Fletcher shooting: Libyan close to Gaddafi found jointly liable for killing of PC

A Libyan man has been found jointly liable at the High Court for the fatal shooting of PC Yvonne Fletcher, 37 years ago.

PC Fletcher, 25, was killed outside the Libyan Embassy on 17 April 1984 during a protest by anti-Gaddafi activists.

Her former colleague and friend John Murray, 66, brought a civil case against a Libyan man, Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk, said to be close to the country's ex-leader Colonel Gaddafi.

Mr Mabrouk did not defend the case.

He has been barred from the UK and is currently in Libya but in an email to Mr Murray's lawyers he denied any involvement in PC Fletcher's killing.

Mr Mabrouk was not alleged to have been the gunman but was found to be jointly liable.

A three-day trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in London heard that Mr Mabrouk was one of the key figures in a "revolutionary committee" that had taken over the Libyan Embassy on Colonel Gaddafi's orders prior to the shooting.

Gaddafi took power in Libya in 1969 but was driving the country in an increasingly radical direction and targeting his enemies abroad, including the UK.

On 17 April, two Sterling sub-machine guns were used to fire on anti-Gaddafi protesters outside the building from a first floor window, killing PC Fletcher and injuring others.

There was spontaneous applause inside an emotional courtroom packed with former police officers when the judge gave his verdict.

The battle by John Murray to live up to the promise he made to his former friend and colleague, Yvonne Fletcher, has been long and difficult.

There was real frustration when a criminal case was blocked in 2017 on the grounds of "national security" and Mr Mabrouk is now back in Libya.

But, even after 37 years, Mr Murray is not willing to give up hope he will one day see those he holds responsible in a British court.

This verdict is a milestone but it is not the end of the road and questions remain as to why the authorities blocked the criminal case.

Mr Mabrouk was deported after the shooting but then returned to live in the UK.

In 2015 he was arrested in connection with the killing but in 2017 the case was dropped because crucial evidence could not be used on grounds of national security.

Mr Murray claimed assault and battery related to the shooting and brought a civil claim against Mr Mabrouk for a nominal amount of £1.

In a statement, Mr Murray, from Chingford, east London, spoke of his relief at the the court's ruling, saying it was a "huge weight off [his] shoulders" after a 37-year battle for justice.

But he said despite the "many obstacles" along the way, his promise to his dying colleague to bring those responsible for her murder to justice had "taken a huge step forward".

Mr Murray added: "Everything we have done leading up to this verdict has been for Yvonne.

"Today, we have finally achieved justice for Yvonne."

Delivering his judgement on Tuesday morning, Mr Justice Martin Spencer said those responsible for the shooting of Yvonne Fletcher also bore "liability" to Mr Murray.

He said he was "satisfied on the balance of probabilities" there had been a "common design" to use violence against the protesters and that Mr Mabrouk had been an "active participant" in a "common design" to fire on them.

He added that Mr Murray - who shed a tear as the judgement was read out - had succeeded in showing Mr Mabrouk as jointly liable for the shooting of PC Fletcher.

The judge said PC Fletcher died as a result of "a cowardly attack" by the gunmen, who were "uncaring of the risk posed to police officers going about their normal duties".

There seemed to be "little doubt" the actions of the gunmen were "orchestrated and sanctioned" by Gaddafi, who "could not tolerate dissent or disagreement", the judge added.

Giving evidence about the day of the shooting, Mr Murray told the court last week that he and PC Fletcher were due to be undertaking other duties that day.

At the last minute they were instead asked to help police a demonstration outside the Libyan Embassy.

Mr Murray - who has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) since the incident - said he and PC Fletcher had talked to the demonstrators and swapped where they stood a number of times.

Then suddenly he heard what sounded like a firecracker and turned to see his colleague and friend lying bleeding on the pavement.

In an emotional testimony, he said: "I blamed myself. I felt responsible for Yvonne's murder.

"If I had changed places with her once more, it would have been me… she died in my place as far as I was concerned."