UK

A Metropolitan Police firearms officer charged with the murder of Chris Kaba will be named publicly, a judge has ruled.

The marksman, who had previously been known only as NX121, is facing trial at the Old Bailey over the shooting of 24-year-old Mr Kaba in Streatham Hill, south London.

In a ruling at the Old Bailey, judge Mark Lucraft said the police officer will be named publicly on 30 January.

The judge said the officer’s date of birth will be made public next year, but their home address or any image of them cannot be published.

Mr Kaba, a father-to-be, died from a single gunshot to the head on 6 September 2022 after the Audi he was driving was blocked in by a police vehicle and an officer shot him through the car windscreen.

Usually, defendants are named publicly at the point they are charged with a criminal offence but a district judge granted the officer a temporary legal order banning his identification when he first appeared in court last month.

Many Met Police firearms officers put down their guns after NX121 was charged with Mr Kaba’s murder.

The Crown Prosecution Service’s decision to bring a murder charge sparked concern among some police officers as more than 100 Met marksmen refused to carry their weapons.

The crisis has since been resolved as they returned to normal duties but armed officers around the country said before today’s ruling they might down their guns if the officer was publicly named.

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