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Sunday, January 26, 2003

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER JOINS MOURNERS AT FUNERAL OF SLAIN CHRISTIAN POLICE OFFICER

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND  (ANS) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife, Cherie, were among hundreds of mourners who attended the funeral at Manchester Cathedral of Detective Constable Stephen Oake, the special branch officer killed during a counter-terrorism raid in the city on January 14.

The Prime Minister and his wife were among about 1,000 people at the service in memory of the father of three, who was stabbed to death as he searched a flat in Crumpsall, near Manchester, England on January 14.

According to a report carried by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), DC Oake was granted a full police funeral. His wife, Lesley, and their children led mourners at the service. The cortege was escorted through the city center by mounted police wearing full ceremonial dress.

The BBC said a tribute website set up by the 40-year-old's colleagues in Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has posted more than 2,000 messages of condolence to his family. They have come from schoolchildren, former and serving police officers and ordinary people in countries as far afield as Australia and the United States.

COPING

After arriving at the cathedral Oake's coffin -- draped in a black GMP flag -- was carried by six former colleagues through the guard of honor outside the cathedral's south porch.

The service was led by the Reverend Rob White, of Poynton Baptist Church in Cheshire, where Oake and his family worshipped. Special arrangements were made to relay the sermon to crowds outside the cathedral.

Greater Manchester's Chief Constable Michael Todd paid tribute to Stephen Oake's "integrity, his enthusiasm and his sense of humor." He described him as a "first class officer", a "real thief taker" and "completely dedicated and professional".

"Put simply, he was a superb, professional police officer, a marvelous fun person and one of the really good guys," said Todd.

Rev White told the BBC he admired the way Oake's family were coping with their loss.

MAN CHARGED

Obviously there's been many tears, much lying awake at night, much grieving, much sitting and just feeling heartbroken, devastated and alone,” he said, adding: "But I think they've coped remarkably well."

In an interview with the Police Review magazine, Chief Constable Todd said the stabbing to death of one of his officers had been the "worst time" of his career.

"It has been a traumatic week and has affected us all very deeply. It is such a shock. The circumstances of Steve's death have been devastating," he said.

Describing him as "one of the good guys", Todd also paid tribute to Oake's bravery. "When the truth comes out, we will see what a hero Steve was that night."

Kamel Bourgass, 27, has been charged with Stephen Oake's murder and the attempted murder of four other officers. He is due to appear in court at the Old Bailey on January 27.
** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.
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