The Metropolitan Police marksman who shot dead Chris Kaba is now set to be named in March, ahead of his murder trial. A reporting restrictions on the name and age of the officer – currently referred to in court proceedings by the code NX121 – was imposed at the start of criminal proceedings. Judge Mark Lucraft KC, the Recorder of London, agreed in October last year that the officer’s identity should be revealed as the criminal case proceeds. He said reporting restrictions would lift at the end of this month, but at an Old Bailey hearing on Friday morning the judge delayed the naming of the officer until March 1. NX121’s trial for murder has also been put back, from September 9 to a new date of October 1. The case is due to be overseen by a High Court judge. A prohibition on the publication of pictures of the officer, as well as the location of their home address, will remain in place during the trial. Explaining the decision last year, the judge said he had reviewed "intelligence material" when assessing the risk to NX121's life and the safety of his family. "In the immediate aftermath of the shooting incident in September 2022, there was significant information about a threat", he said. "In addition, the witness statements that have been provided highlight fears of risks then, and going forward and the observations in those statements cannot be ignored. "In my judgement, whilst there may be risks to NX121 in lifting parts of the anonymity order, those risks are ones that in my judgment can be addressed in various ways so as to seek to ameliorate or mitigate them." The judge said there is a risk of further threats to NX121 as the trial draws closer, but there would not be a "real or immediate risk to his life". The judge said the delay in naming the officer allows for pre-trial matters to be dealt with, and would allow for "mitigation measures" to be put in place to make the officer and his family safer. Mr Kaba, 24, was shot dead during an armed police car stop in Streatham Hill in September 2022. NX121 was charged with murder following a lengthy investigation into the fatal shooting. In the moments before the shooting, Mr Kaba had driven into Kirkstall Gardens and collided with a marked police car. The accused officer fired one shot and hit Mr Kaba in the head. NX121 has not yet entered a plea to the murder charge.
