Fears over ‘ no justice’ for Pc
THE wife of a police officer left injured in the attack that killed Sunderland Pc Keith Blakelock fears his widow may never get justice.
Pauline Coombes said she was left devastated for the family of the Sunderland officer after the latest trial into his death.
Mrs Coombes’ husband, Richard, was left injured on the same night where Pc Blakelock was bludgeoned to death by a mob in the Tottenham riots in 1985.
Mr Coombes was among a contingent of officers, including Pc Blakelock, drafted in to protect firemen attempting to quell a supermarket blaze in one of the Broadwater Farm estate’s housing blocks, when they were ambushed by a mob wielding machetes, bottles, bricks, knives, swords and iron bars.
Richard survived the assault and three years later won the Queen’s Gallantry Medal.
Now, after 45- year- old Nicky Jacobs was cleared at the Old Bailey two weeks ago of killing Pc Blakelock, Mrs Coombes believes his murderers will never be brought to justice. Almost 30 years have past since his death, two criminal trials and three police investigations have proved inconclusive.
Mrs Coombes, 58, said: “I was driving home from work when Richard sent me a text saying ‘ Nicky Jacobs has been acquitted’.
“I felt physically sick. I thought, ‘ This is never going to end, not for us, not for Keith’s widow Elizabeth’.
“I was just devastated for her and her family. The police say they’ll continue to investigate, but is it worth it when all they come back with is acquittals?”
“I think Richard feels guilty that he survived. He feels guilty, too, that he didn’t reach Keith and save him.”
Pc Blakelock, 40, lived with wife Elizabeth in Washington before he moved his family to London when he joined the Met.
Elizabeth and the couple’s three sons, Mark, Kevin and Lee, were all in court for the case.