Armed police officer Martyn Blake is given a promotion after he was cleared of murdering Chris Kaba – as former prime cop says it reveals the Met is absolutely behind him
Armed police officer Martyn Blake has been promoted just weeks after he was cleared of the murder of gang member Chris Kaba.
The Met Police marksman, 40, is set to become an inspector, having passed the relevant exams prior to the fatal shooting two years ago.
Last month, Sgt Blake was dramatically cleared after being accused of firing his weapon and killing the 24-year-old ‘without justification’ to stop the suspect escaping police.
He shot Mr Kaba through a car windscreen in Streatham, South London, on September 5, 2022 after he failed to stop for officers.
Footage of the incident showed Mr Kaba using his car as a ‘battering ram’ by driving forwards and backwards in an attempt to force his way between a marked police car and a Tesla parked nearby, leading the officer to open fire.
Armed police officer Martyn Blake has been promoted just weeks after he was cleared of the murder of gang member Chris Kaba (pictured)
Footage of the moment armed officers ran towards Mr Kaba’s vehicle in Streatham, South London, on September 5, 2022 after he failed to stop for officers
At trial at the Old Bailey, the married father-of-two said he had taken a shot because he believed his colleagues were about to die.
Having been cleared of murder, the Met Police has said Sgt Blake can proceed with his promotion, a move that one former chief said was ‘absolutely proper’ and shows that the force is behind him.
But his advancement comes as Sgt Blake still awaits a decision by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) over whether to pursue a gross misconduct case against him.
Former Met Chief Supt Simon Ovens told The Sun: ‘Considering the evidence has been scrutinised in court, the misconduct review should not hold up his promotion.
‘Although there is a different level of proof for disciplinary hearings, is it likely he would be dismissed? The answer is no.’
He added: ‘This shows the Met’s confidence in the officer and reinforces the support the commissioner has in him.’
Met Police said it would not comment on anything relating to personal information about an officer’s ‘potential career intentions’.
Sgt Blake is understood to be moving away from the firearms unit to another section, as is the practice when an officer has been promoted to the rank of inspector.
Met Police marksman Martyn Blake is set to become an inspector as he still awaits a decision by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) over whether to pursue a gross misconduct case against him
The Chris Kaba murder trial proved to be an extraordinary and controversial case which saw hundreds of firearms officers around the country down their weapons in protest after the officer was charged, as colleagues argued he perceived a genuine threat and was just trying to save them.
During the trial at the Old Bailey, which lasted nearly three weeks, a succession of officers claimed they would have shot Mr Kaba if Blake had not acted.
A fellow firearms officer known as DS87 said he would have taken a shot if Blake had not.
Another identified by the cypher E156 said he was ‘fractions of a second’ away from doing the same.
One officer known as NX109 was perilously close to being run over after getting the finger of his glove caught in the Audi’s door handle, just managing to wrench it free in time before the Audi surged forward ramming into a parked Tesla.
Prosecutor Tom Little, KC, argued that Blake had misjudged the risk and exaggerated the threat to his colleagues in statements following the shooting.
But Patrick Gibbs, KC, defending, said he wasn’t ‘Robocop’ and made a split second decision to save others.
The case has sparked a Home Office review about how firearms officers are held accountable and the length of time officers remain under investigation.
