OFFICERS WAITING TO AMBUSH A ROBBERY GANG AT A MUS

OFFICERS WAITING TO AMBUSH A ROBBERY GANG AT A MUSEUM WERE
INSTRUCTED TO USE THEIR FIREARMS ‘TO PROTECT THEIR LIVES’ IF

NECESSARY, A SENIOR SCOTLAND YARD DETECTIVE TOLD AN OLD BAILEY JURY

ON WEDNESDAY.

DET CHIEF INSP BRIAN CLIFFORD, THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE
OPERATION TO TRAP THE GANG AT THE SIR JOHN SOANES MUSEUM, DESCRIBED
THE MOMENTS LEADING UP TO THE DEATH OF WOULD-BE ROBBER DENNIS BERGIN,

26, – SHOT DEAD BY POLICE AS HE BURST INTO THE MUSEUM.

HE TOLD THE COURT THAT A TIP OFF SUGGESTED THE GANG MIGHT BE
ARMED WITH KNIVES AND CLUBS BUT THERE WAS NO CONFIRMATION THAT

FIREARMS MIGHT BE CARRIED.

THREE OFFICERS DEPLOYED AT THE DOOR ON THE INSIDE WERE TOLD NOT

TO OPEN IT IF IT WAS OBVIOUS A GUN WAS BEING CARRIED.

ALSO INSIDE WERE TWO MARKSMEN AND DET INSP CLIFFORD.

BERGIN, FROM EALING, TRIED TO FORCE HIS WAY THROUGH THE DOOR,

POINTING THE BARRELL OF A SAWN OFF SHOTGUN AT THE OFFICERS.

DET INSP CLIFFORD TOLD THE JURY: ‘I WAS AT A LOSS AT WHAT TO
DO FOR A MOMENT.

THE GUN WAS BEING LEVELLED AT THE OFFICERS.

IT WAS
OBVIOUS IN THAT FLEETING MOMENT THEIR LIVES WERE IN PERIL.

‘
HE CONTINUED: ‘THE GUNMAN STOPPED ME IN MY TRACKS.

‘
POLICE SERGEANT KENNETH RICHARDSON SHOUTED AT THE OFFICERS TO
‘GET DOWN, GET DOWN,’ AS THE BANDITS BATTLED TO GET INTO THE

BUILDING.

THEN, SAID DET INSP CLIFFORD, TWO SHOTS WERE FIRED CLOSE BY HIM.

‘THERE SEEMED TO BE AN EXPLOSION AROUND THE SHOTGUN.

I THOUGHT THE

GUNMAN HAD FIRED.

‘
PS RICHARDSON FIRED THREE SHOTS AND BERGIN FELL TO THE GROUND.

HE WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL BUT DIED LATER.

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ALLEGED GANG WERE CAPTURED AS THEY FLED
THE SCENE.

GEORGE BERGIN, 23, OF ALBANY ROAD, EALING, LEE FRAILING, 22, OF

HAYDOCK AVENUE, NORTHOLT, AND WILLIAM MCSKIMMING, 27, OF NO FIXED
ADDRESS, ALL DENY CONSPIRACY TO ROB AT THE MUSEUM IN LINCOLN’S INN
FIELDS, HOLBORN, ON FEBRUARY 6 LAST YEAR.

THEY ALSO DENY POSSESSING A SAWN-OFF SHOTGUN WITH INTENT TO ROB.

A FOURTH MAN, DEREK SMITH, 22, OF GAINSBOROUGH TOWERS, ACADEMY

GARDENS, NORTHOLT, DENIES THE FIREARMS CHARGE.

ALL THE DEFENDANTS ARE UNEMPLOYED.

THE TRIAL CONTINUES.

ENDS