Armed officer s disbelief at response of other emergency services to casualties in Manchester Arena bomb blast zone
PC Edward Richardson accepted not being able to stop and treat people as an active firearms officer was something he has struggled with since
Updated
The Manchester Arena public inquiry is continuing (Image: PA)
One of the first armed police officers inside Manchester Arena after the bombing said he felt a sense of disbelief over the response of other emergency services to casualties in the blast scene.
PC Edward Richardson, the Operational Firearms Commander (OFC) for Greater Manchester Police, entered the Arena complex 10 minutes after the 10.31pm explosion on May 22, 2017.
Cop who led response to Arena terror attack denies lying about keeping other emergency services in the dark
Chief Inspector Dale Sexton denied he had lied but admitted a deliberate omission
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A senior police officer who led the initial response to the Manchester Arena attack has admitted he failed to inform key reviews into the atrocity that he had deliberately kept other blue light services in the dark over fears a second terrorist was still at large.
Rachel Townsend reports from the Manchester Arena bombing inquiry.
The police officer in charge in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing did not tell other emergency services the response to a terror attack, Operation Plato, had been declared.
Chief Inspector Dale Sexton then an Inspector, was the force duty officer in the Greater Manchester control room.
He broke national guidelines by keeping the Operation Plato decision secret and not informing the ambulance or fire service, as rules meant the area would be declared a hot zone .
This meant the site would have to be cleared, leaving the injured left untreated, while any armed terrorist or active gunman was dealt with.
Police chief admits going against national guidance and policy to save lives after Manchester Arena bombing
Dale Sexton, in charge of the initial GMP response, said he didn t tell the other emergency services he had declared Operation Plato because he knew it would mean responders being withdrawn
Updated
The Arena attack claimed 22 lives (Image: Sean Hansford Manchester Evening)
A police chief said he deliberately went against policy and national guidelines to save lives on the night of the Manchester Arena bombing.
Chief Inspector Dale Sexton, who was in charge of the initial Greater Manchester Police response to the terror attack in his role as Force Duty Officer (FDO), said he purposefully didn t tell the fire and ambulance services that he had declared a specific counter-terrorism response because he knew it would lead to the withdrawal of first responders from the blast zone and casualties wouldn t be treated.
Police officer tried to ensure prompt cards use in major incidents, inquiry told thisislancashire.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thisislancashire.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.