Prosecuted for breaching health and safety

What a load of arse.

Don't get me wrong, I am pleased that the officers involved in the shooting of de Menezes were not charged. Whilst you could make a reasonable argument for a manslaughter charge, I would not say they deserved it. The officers who went after de Menezes on the day thought they were chasing someone who had tried to commit multiple murder the previous day. With little regard for their own safety, they went after someone who they thought might be a human bomb. Something went badly wrong with the operation - that much is clear. But if the person they were chasing had turned out to be a bomber, the SO19 officers who killed him would be feted as heroes. I think it is always worth bearing in mind.

But then you read on and find that the CPS is charging the Met with breaching de Menezes's Health and Safety. That's the Health and Safety at work act, 1974. Sweet Jesus, give me strength. Let's look at this in more detail:

1. Of course they breached his health and safety. They shot the man seven times at point blank range in the face. Give me one example, just one, of when someone being shot in the face repeatedly has improved their health and safety?

2. But de Menezes was not at work. I'm sorry, but he wasn't. He was on the tube. So whilst they breached his health and safety, they didn't do it at his workplace. In fact, if there was a breach of health and safety at work then it was the police officers's health and safety, since they were actually at work, doing their job.

3. The CPS is a public body. The Met is a public body. So a body paid for by taxpayers will prosecute another body funded by the taxpayers to try to extract a large fine. Paid for by taxpayers money. Brilliant! Awesome! Goddamned spectacular! What staggering decision making prowess! de Menezes gets shot in the face, and who is punished for it? The taxpayer. How wonderfully Blairite.

Something went wrong on the 22nd July, 2005 and an innocent man was shot dead by police trying to protect the public. I wouldn't support any decision to prosecute the police officers invovled unless there was clear evidence that something other than institutional incompetence that led to the death. But equally I do not support the decision to prosecute the Met, because it is a waste of public time and a waste of public money. In fact, instead of pissing public money away on a worthless, symbolic prosecution, let's buy the police some decent radios so may be officers in the field can stay in contact with the control room. And so may be something as terrible as the shooting does not happen again.