Questions raised over lack of armed police nearby as terror atrocity unfolded

STRIKING CCTV footage of unarmed police officers running away during the murderous rampage by Khalid Masood at the Palace of Westminster has been shown at the inquest into his victims’ deaths.

Questions have been raised over why no armed officers were near the scene at the Carriage Gates at the Palace of Westminster when Pc Keith Palmer, 48, died on March 22 last year.

Masood, 52, mowed down four pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before attacking Pc Palmer near the Houses of Parliament.

Disturbing video footage of the officer being stabbed as he lay prone against a low wall after stumbling backward was shown to the Old Bailey yesterday, where inquests into the deaths of Pc Palmer and the four other innocent victims are being held.

A close protection officer eventually shot Masood three times when he refused to drop the two knives he was carrying.

Hugo Keith QC, representing the Metropolitan Police, asked Detective Superintendent John Crossley: “There was no static position for armed officers at that time (at the Carriage Gates), was there?”

The witness replied: “That’s correct.”

Firearms officers were on mobile patrol, rather than being stationed in New Palace Yard, the Old Bailey heard.

Susannah Stevens, representing the family of Keith Palmer, questioned Mr Crossley about which colleagues he had spoken to “when you realised there was an issue about the fact that authorised firearms officers were not in close proximity at the Carriage Gates”.

He said he would have discussed it with the Gold Commander for the investigation.

The absence of armed officers at the scene will be examined in detail as part of the inquests.

The Westminster attack was one of four atrocities in the space of four months last year, which claimed 36 lives. The others were in Manchester, London Bridge and Finsbury Park.