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Dorothy 'Cherry' Groce inquest hears police raid on home seriously flawed Dorothy 'Cherry' Groce inquest hears police raid on home seriously flawed
(about 3 hours later)
The armed police raid on the home of a mother whose shooting by an officer sparked the 1985 Brixton riots in London had serious deficiencies, the inquest into her death has been told.The armed police raid on the home of a mother whose shooting by an officer sparked the 1985 Brixton riots in London had serious deficiencies, the inquest into her death has been told.
This was among the conclusions of 357-page report on incident by the assistant chief constable of West Yorkshire police John Domaille. This was among the conclusions of 357-page report on the incident by the assistant chief constable of West Yorkshire police John Domaille.
His conclusions have been accepted by the Metropolitan police, the jury at the Southwark coroners court in London was told. His conclusions have been accepted by the Metropolitan police, the jury at Southwark coroners court in London was told.
Dorothy "Cherry" Groce was paralysed below the waist when she was accidentally shot by police seeking her son, Michael, during an early morning raid on her home in south London on 28 September 1985. She died in April 2011.Dorothy "Cherry" Groce was paralysed below the waist when she was accidentally shot by police seeking her son, Michael, during an early morning raid on her home in south London on 28 September 1985. She died in April 2011.
In summing up the conclusions made in the Domaille report, Dexter Dias QC for the Groce family, said: "He reached the conclusion that there were serious deficiencies in carrying out the operation as planned. In summing up the conclusions made in the Domaille report, Dexter Dias QC, for the Groce family, said: "He reached the conclusion that there were serious deficiencies in carrying out the operation as planned.
"He reached the conclusion that the most prudent course of action in this case would have been for the operation not to have proceeded forthwith but instead for an intelligence-gathering exercise to take place and that to go ahead as planned with a surprise entry with such lack of information about the layout of the premises and details of the occupants and bearing in mind that the light was on downstairs, he found, would create an adverse risk.""He reached the conclusion that the most prudent course of action in this case would have been for the operation not to have proceeded forthwith but instead for an intelligence-gathering exercise to take place and that to go ahead as planned with a surprise entry with such lack of information about the layout of the premises and details of the occupants and bearing in mind that the light was on downstairs, he found, would create an adverse risk."
Cherry Groce had gone downstairs and turned the light on when she went to the kitchen to get an aspirin. Groce had gone downstairs and turned the light on when she went to the kitchen to get an aspirin.
"The decision made to continue the operation was not reasonable. Grave risks were created both for the police and the public and these risks should have been avoided," Dias noted from the report."The decision made to continue the operation was not reasonable. Grave risks were created both for the police and the public and these risks should have been avoided," Dias noted from the report.
Dozens of civilians and 10 police officers were injured in the unrest on the streets of Brixton following the shooting.Dozens of civilians and 10 police officers were injured in the unrest on the streets of Brixton following the shooting.
Days later, disorder broke out on the Broadwater Farm housing estate in Tottenham, north London, following the death of another black woman, Cynthia Jarrett, who collapsed with a stroke after police raided her home. Days later, disorder broke out on the Broadwater Farm housing estate in Tottenham, north London, following the death of another black woman, Cynthia Jarrett, who collapsed with a stroke after police raided her home. PC Keith Blakelock was stabbed to death during the subsequent rioting.
Pc Keith Blakelock was stabbed to death during the subsequent rioting. Insp Douglas Lovelock, the marksman who shot Groce, stood trial in 1987 charged with inflicting unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm, and was acquitted.
Insp Douglas Lovelock, the marksman who shot her, stood trial in 1987 charged with inflicting unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm, and was acquitted.