City Matters 081

CITYMATTERS.LONDON 05 - 18 September 2018 | Page 3
News Matters
News Matters
LOCAL FORCE IN THE FIRING LINE AFTER LAWSUIT IS FILED BY SERGEANT
Cop to sue
City Police
after he was
shot at in
training drill
A POLICE officer who was shot at with live
rounds during a botched weapons training
exercise is suing the City of London Police force
for £250,000.
Sergeant Robert Haughey claims he was left
with post-traumatic stress disorder after being
forced to dodge bullets that missed him by just
inches during drills at the Connaught Army
Barracks in Dover in 2015.
Shattered
The 47-year-old from Strood, Kent, said
he realised the shooter was using live rounds
instead of blanks when one of the bullets
shattered a window above his head and he was
forced to take cover. A blank is a type of firearm
cartridge that contains gunpowder but no
projectile. When fired, the blank makes a flash
and an explosive sound.
In a report in The Sun, Mr Haughey said
the incident had left him unable to return to
work.
A court writ filed against City of London
Police by Mr Haughey’s lawyer claims the
police sergeant felt “panic and terror” during
the incident and “suffered psychiatric injuries
as a result”.
City of London Police admits liability over
the incident, but a settlement is yet to be
reached with Mr Haughey.
A City of London Police spokesman
confirmed: “While participating in a firearms
training exercise on 19 March 2015 at
Connaught Barracks, Dover, Kent, a City of
London Police officer discharged live rounds
from a firearm that was supposed to be using
imitation rounds. No one was struck by those
discharged live rounds.”
Training
The spokesperson said that a review by the
Health and Safety Executive ruled no further
action should be taken, but that some officers
received further training.
A statement added: “There is an ongoing civil
claim and as a result we will not be commenting
on the specifics of the incident or individuals
involved.”
trade trip: Theresa May met with Nigerian President Buhari. Photo 10 Downing Street / Twitter
May pledges £4bn
to Africa post Brexit
THERESA MAY has declared the City will
play an “even greater role” in financing some
of the fastest-growing African economies
after Brexit, including Nigeria.
The announcement was made in Lagos as
part of a three-day trade mission to as many
countries, and follows a pledge of £4billion in
support when Britain leaves the EU in March
2019.
UK-Nigeria trade totalled £4.2billion last
year, and British companies including British
Airways, GSK, Shell, Diageo, Unilever, and
Standard Chartered have successful and longestablished
operations in Nigeria, with some
dating back to the 1930s.
Indicative
It has helped pave the way for 111 African
companies to come to the UK to list on the
London Stock Exchange.
While in Nigeria, the Prime Minister
announced that Aliko Dangote, the chairman
of Dangote Cement, is preparing to list shares
in his $10billion business in London next
year, while Seplat’s $350million Eurobond was
admitted for trading on 30 August.
Secretary of state for international development,
Penny Mordaunt, who accompanied Mrs May to
Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, said: “These
exciting new African listings on the London
Stock Exchange and first UK-Africa FinTech
partnership are indicative of the City’s position
as the world’s leading financial centre.
“With the help of the City of London to
raise capital and share expertise, Nigeria
and other African nations can support their
entrepreneurs to develop successful businesses,
stimulate growth and create jobs. Supporting
economic growth across Africa will in turn
boost prosperity globally, which is in all our
interests.”
The formation of the UK-Africa FinTech
partnership will use British expertise to support
African entrepreneurs; improve access to
financial services for consumers; and encourage
new investment via the Department for
International Trade’s existing FinTech Board.
Meanwhile, a dedicated fund worth up to
£2million will support Nigerian innovators as
they turn their ideas into successful businesses.
Benefits
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and
Central Bank of Nigeria have also agreed to
explore the potential for deeper engagement
and co-operation in developing the best possible
regulatory frameworks to allow fintech to
flourish in Nigeria.
A statement from 10 Downing Street said
that the announcements “highlight the mutual
benefits” of closer financial co-operation to both
the UK and Africa.
It added: “It builds on the existing
partnership between the London and Nigerian
stock exchanges, and the recent visit of the
Lord Mayor of London to Nigeria which has
created momentum and willingness for closer
partnerships.
“It also highlights how the UK aims to
be Africa’s financial partner of choice as we
continue to help African nations to benefit from
increased access to international finance, while
investors benefit from access to new investment
opportunities.”