'Why risk getting charged for murder?' Life inside the UK's biggest firearms unit

This paper compares citizen complaints against two specialist Metropolitan Police Service commands: the Counter-Terrorism Command (SO15, 2017–19, n = 455 allegations) and Specialist Firearms Command (MO19, 2020–24, n = 1,264 allegations), coded against the same...

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GPH19 Win a Prize MO19 FHP19 The Last Train (MO19)I am a witness to the laring, blaring call of rowdy rogues returned from revelry. The subdued quiet of the nurse, longing to rest her weary bones. …

Famiglia Kaba Chris Kaba è stato identificato come l'uomo armato in un night club sparando sei giorni prima di essere girato L'agente di polizia del Met che è stato autorizzato dall'omicidio dopo aver sparato a Chris Kaba dovrà affrontare un'udienza di cattiva condotta, ha detto il cane da guardia della polizia. Il sergente Martyn Blake, 41 anni, un ufficiale dell'unità specialistica delle armi da fuoco MO19, ha sparato al signor Kaba in testa dopo aver tentato di uscire da una fermata del veicolo della polizia a Streatham il 5 settembre 2022.

Tasers and ammunition have gone missing in yet another Metropolitan Police blunder just days after a holdall containing weapons was left on a street near the London Mayor's residence in Clapham. Scotland Yard's specialist firearms unit reported the disappearance of three Tasers, with two of the 50,000-volt stun guns still unaccounted for. ### MO19, the force's armed response command, also permanently lost two Taser cartridges over the five years leading up to April 2025. Additionally, 25 rounds of ammunition, comprising 9mm and 5.56mm bullets, went missing over the same period. ### TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say ### These revelations emerge less than a week after armed officers from a different Scotland Yard unit, the Royalty and Security Protection Command, abandoned a holdall containing weapons on a street near the London Mayor's residence in Clapham. A pregnant woman stumbled upon the abandoned bag on a kerbside in south London late on Tuesday evening. Noticing the luggage appeared unusually heavy, she returned home to fetch her partner, Jordan Griffiths, for assistance. The scaffolder initially suspected the weighty holdall might contain coins. Upon opening it, however, he discovered an arsenal of police-issue weaponry. ### ### Inside sat an American-made Heckler & Koch MP5SF A3 semi-automatic carbine capable of firing 800 rounds per minute. An Austrian Glock 17 pistol loaded with at least ten rounds was stored in a leather holster alongside the rifle. The bag also contained a Taser stun gun in a nylon holster and additional ammunition. The Metropolitan Police confirmed a member of the public contacted them at approximately 9.40pm after finding the holdall. Officers arrived within seven minutes to retrieve the items. ### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS * Met Police arrest two more in connection with shooting of boy, 14, in Woolwich * Police Federation boss arrested in London on suspicion of corruption * 'What are they doing?!' Ex-armed officer 'raging with fury' after Sadiq Khan's bodyguards 'misplace' bag full of guns ### ### Mr Griffiths described his disbelief at the discovery. "I could not believe my eyes and took some pictures as proof of what we had found," he told The Sun. He immediately contacted the police, who arrived within minutes to collect the weapons. "When they arrived they were really shocked. They looked through the bag carefully and hurriedly took them away," he recounted. Officers informed him the holdall had been left by one of Sir Sadiq security detail. Mr Griffiths expressed concern about what could have happened had the weapons fallen into different hands. He said: "I hate to think what might have happened if any of the people in Clapham had found that bag. It could have been mayhem." ### ### When he enquired about a potential reward, officers offered him "a bag of sweets" in response. Retired Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville warned the MO19 losses would "further dent trust and confidence" in the force. He said: "It seems like an element of sloppiness has crept into the Met's firearms unit", calling for "an urgent audit." Mr Neville also noted that gun crime remained prevalent in south London, adding that "too many villains would have been very pleased" to discover the holdall outside the Mayor's home. ### Five armed protection officers have been temporarily removed from frontline duties while the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards investigates the Clapham incident. A spokesman for Sir Sadiq described it as "a very serious incident" and stated the Met "must now take all steps to ensure an incident like this never occurs again". Sir Sadiq receives round-the-clock armed protection from approximately 15 officers following repeated threats to his safety. ### **Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**

A Metropolitan Police firearms sergeant with more than three decades of service has been dismissed without notice after a disciplinary panel determined he ran his mobile pizza venture whilst claiming to be too unwell for duty. Matt Skelt, who served with the MO19 Specialist Firearms Command Unit, faced a misconduct hearing in Sutton on Thursday, February 19, where allegations against him were found proven. ### Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams, chairing the panel, delivered a damning assessment of the 34-year veteran's conduct. She concluded that Mr Skelt had behaved as though he was "well enough to work but not well enough to serve the public in any capacity." ### TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say ### The sergeant had been absent from his policing duties for extended periods throughout 2025 and into January this year. Mr Skelt joined the Metropolitan Police in 1991, beginning his career as a constable in Walthamstow before transferring to Stoke Newington. He moved into specialist firearms work in 2004 and subsequently delivered training in close protection and ministerial security operations. The officer was also instrumental in establishing units designed to respond to critical incidents, including terrorist attacks. ### ### ### Throughout the disciplinary proceedings, Mr Skelt acknowledged running the pizza enterprise and maintained he had initially received proper authorisation to do so. However, correspondence sent in August 2025 informed him that his business interest approval was being withdrawn. The letter stated that his commercial activities were "incompatible with his phased return to work and recovery." This communication also carried an explicit warning that continued involvement with the pizza firm could result in disciplinary proceedings. ### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS * Police force allowed to keep £1.8m worth of gold seized at major UK airport * Jet2 flight forced to make 320-mile diversion after declaring emergency over English Channel * Nine people injured in London’s SECOND major bus crash over past 24 hours ### ### ### Despite receiving this information, social media evidence presented to the tribunal revealed he continued his commercial activities. Nasreen Shah, representing the tribunal's appropriate authority, told the hearing that online searches uncovered "occasions where Sgt Skelt appeared to be working on days where he was reported absent from the Met for sickness." Posts from September demonstrated he had attended multiple events selling pizza and was operating two days weekly outside a local pub. Further social media activity showed the sergeant appearing at a birthday celebration and promoting his business at a Christmas market. ### ### Mr Skelt contested the August correspondence did not constitute a binding instruction. The panel rejected this argument, ruling that he ought to have stepped back from his prominent public-facing role with the company regardless. Mr Skelt told the hearing: "I found myself in the impossible position of following the order or not being able to provide for myself when I retired. "My reputation means a lot to me and the thought I would be sacked from the police for gross misconduct is incredibly difficult for me to deal with. ### "The very last thing I wanted to do was to challenge the authority of the Metropolitan Police. "I took it very seriously. I knew that I have to face life outside of the Met and that I would not be able to seek employment and [had] a pension that is not enough to survive in the outside world." He emphasised throughout that he had "been open and honest" about his activities and "never tried to deceive anyone." The officer even offered to resign if it would spare the force from pursuing formal disciplinary action. However, Assistant Commissioner Williams was unmoved, acknowledging his transparency whilst declaring that openness was "not an excuse." ### **Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **

GPH19 Win a Prize MO19 FHP19 The Last Train (MO19)I am a witness to the laring, blaring call of rowdy rogues returned from revelry. The subdued quiet of the nurse, longing to rest her weary bones. …