Keith was left to die with no protection
Widow blasts lax security as coroner says officer could have been saved SCENE
PC KEITH Palmer was left “with no protection to die” by senior officers when he was murdered in the Westminster attack, his widow said last night.
Michelle Palmer spoke out after chief coroner Mark Lucraft QC found her husband could have been saved if armed officers had been stationed close to him.
She criticised “lax security” at the Palace of Westminster and said her husband was left alone when he was stabbed by a terrorist armed with two foot-long knives.
Michelle said: “How could Keith have been left alone, unarmed, guarding an open gate at one of the most iconic buildings in the world and one of the country’s top terrorist targets? He was left at a vulnerable location with no protection to die.”
The inquest heard how the two armed officers patrolling New Palace Yard had been nowhere near Carriage Gates for nearly an hour before the attack.
Khalid Masood, 52, mowed down Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, on Westminster Bridge, before stabbing PC Palmer. Mr Lucraft said: “Due to shortcomings in the security system at New Palace Yard, including the supervision of those engaged in such duties, the armed officers were not aware of a requirement to remain in close proximity to the gates.
“Had they been stationed there, it is possible that they may have been able to prevent PC Palmer suffering fatal injuries.”
Patrick Maguire, a lawyer for Slater and Gordon, who represent Michelle, said: “While we welcome the coroner’s findings that there were shortcomings in security failings by the senior command of the Metropolitan Police we still feel there are many unanswered questions about how this was allowed to happen.
“We have concerns that the full facts will never come out.”