Police and Prison Service Face Human Rights Action Over London Bridge Attacks

Human rights cases are relatively rare, throughout 2020 we have seen only 17 claims, but an interesting action by mother of London Bridge victim Saskia Jones has brought a breach of human rights claim against the security and policing units of the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice’s prison and probation services. Ms Jones, 23, and Jack Merritt, 25, were murdered by Usman Khan at Fishmongers’ Hall on 29 November 2019. Khan was on licence from prison, where he had been serving a 16-year sentence for terrorism offences. The claim was filed on Friday by Michelle Jones in her own right and on behalf of the estate of Saskia Rachel Jones.

The Supreme Court (after failure at first instance and appeal) has recognised a police duty of care to individuals in the leading case Robinson v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2018] UKSC 4. However, Robinson has a completely different set of facts – an innocent bystander injured in the course of an arrest - and in the context of negligence, not human rights. Regardless of how the case is argued, issues of duty, foreseeability and policy are at the heart of this case.