New Yard probe into Blakelock murder

Scotland Yard today announced a fresh investigation into the murder of Pc Keith Blakelock during the Broadwater Farm riot.

Police say they have identified "new lines of inquiry" which could provide a dramatic breakthrough in the case.

The move follows a three-year review into the original investigation which examined thousands of witness statements.

Pc Blakelock, 40, a father of three, was hacked to death by a mob at the height of the riot on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham in October 1985.

Three men, Winston Silcott, Engin Raghip and Mark Braithwaite, were tried and convicted of the murder then freed on appeal.

Silcott, 43, was freed in October after serving 17 years for the murder of boxer Anthony Smith. Silcott was on bail for that murder when he was allegedly seen by witnesses at the centre of the riot.

Today police refused to be drawn on the detail of the new leads. The fresh investigation could lead to arrests and the questioning of new suspects who were at the scene when the officer was killed.

Detectives say they are keeping an open mind about suspects. "This is a search for the truth about what happened," one said. As many as six new suspects could face questioning.

The three men freed on appeal cannot be tried again for the killing, although there are plans to scrap the double jeopardy rule which means

people cannot be tried twice for the same offence.

The review, launched in January 2000, examined more than 6,000 statements and used the latest DNA techniques to scrutinise evidence. Police also produced a virtualreality video of the scene, showing where all the original suspects and witnesses claimed to have been.

The review is believed to have uncovered several new witnesses. Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, head of the Yard's Specialist Crime Directorate, said: "The review took us in a number of directions, but there are some specific leads which we are now looking at. We cannot go into exact details as this could seriously prejudice our inquiries.

"We cannot be sure where the new inquiry will lead us, but I would like to reassure members of the local community that this is not something we have undertaken lightly."

He said the inquiry was focused only on the murder of Pc Blake lock and the attempted murder of his partner Pc Richard Coombes, who was badly injured.