Constable David Phillips – A statement

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October 6th 2015

 

“Constable David Phillips` death on duty on Merseyside cannot but remind Thanet of the killing of our own Jon Odell under not dissimilar circumstances.

This is another stark illustration of the manner in which, on a daily basis, those who hold warrants as constables (and all police officers are constables) place their own safety and lives on the line during each and every hour on duty.

Jon Odell`s killer was only charged with, and convicted of, manslaughter. I trust that those responsible for the killing of Constable Phillips will be charged, tried and convicted more appropriately of murder.

In the absence, reflecting the provision of the Human Rights Act, of a death penalty I believe that those tried and convicted of the killing of a police officer in uniform and on duty should face a mandatory sentence of imprisonment for life – meaning until the natural end of that killer`s days.

Such a sentence will not bring back a loving husband and the father of two young children but it might enable them to feel, in time and at least in part, that justice has been done , has been seen to be done, and that the enormity of the damage done to this family has been publicly recognised”.

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