Daughter of murdered MP Sir David Amess seeks public inquiry

Summarised from EssexLive's report · Updated 14 Oct, 07:51 · Archive

Katie Amess continues to campaign for a public inquiry into her father's 2021 murder at a constituency surgery.

Sir David Amess, aged 69, was fatally stabbed at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea on 15 October 2021. Ali Harbi Ali was convicted in 2022 and handed a whole life order for murder and the preparation of terrorist acts. The attacker had previously been referred to the anti-radicalisation programme Prevent, though his case was closed in 2016.

Katie Amess, 41, has been campaigning for a public inquiry to establish how the killing was allowed to occur and identify lessons to be learned. The Government commissioned an independent review led by former Conservative justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland KC to examine missed opportunities. While welcoming this review, Ms Amess confirmed she is continuing to push for a full public inquiry, where witnesses could be legally compelled to give evidence.

Ms Amess described the process as frustrating, saying that as the victim's daughter she should not have had to fight for answers. 'It's definitely been a frustrating process because obviously I've been fighting for five years now,' she said. 'There should have just been an inquiry automatically, straight away.'

Read the report

• Daughter Sir David Amess issues heartbreaking update five years on from his murderKatie Amess says she is still fighting for a public inquiry into the murder of her father, Sir David Amess, who was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery in Essex in 2021EssexLive · 14 Oct, 05:12

In this story: Katie Amess · Sir David Amess · Ali Harbi Ali · Sir Robert Buckland · Leigh-on-Sea · Essex · Prevent

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