Park attack families welcome anti-terror changes

The families of three men murdered in a Reading park have said they cautiously welcome changes to anti-terror measures outlined by the government.

Gary Furlong's son James, Joe Ritchie-Bennett and David Wails were stabbed to death by Khairi Saadallah in Forbury Gardens on 20 June 2020.

Last month, Mr Furlong said he was frustrated with the speed of outlined changes to the Prevent scheme, which failed to intervene in the life of the Southport killer Axel Rudakubana.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper has since met Mr Furlong and Mr Ritchie-Bennett's families and written to the three families, acknowledging that Prevent was "not working as it should" in 2020.

Following an inquest last year, judge coroner Sir Adrian Fulford concluded their deaths were avoidable and found major problems with intelligence sharing between authorities.

Saadallah was given a whole-life term in 2021 after admitting murder and the attempted murder of three other men.

In her letter, Cooper said there was a "lack of understanding of the cumulative risk" posed by Saadallah and how updated training will be given to frontline Prevent staff and counter-terrorism police.

"This letter shows that change can be achieved when families and victims fight hard enough," Mr Furlong said.

"However, it remains a tragedy the human cost that has been suffered in order to take these forward steps.

"Our hope now is that the improvements laid out by Yvette Cooper in her letter will have the desired positive effect, and that other families will not have to suffer as we have."

Mr Furlong and his wife Jan have asked for a meeting with health secretary Wes Streeting to address points raising by Sir Adrian about mental health provisions for people identified as posing a high risk, like Saadallah.

The night before the murders, officers visited Saadallah after his brother rang police to raise concerns about his mental state.

Leigh Day partner Benjamin Burrows, who represents the victims' families, said Cooper's meeting was a "step in the right direction".

"The coroner also raised serious concerns with the mental health care of Saadallah, and our clients remain determined to speak with health secretary Wes Streeting to address these."

Lord Anderson, the independent Prevent commissioner, called on Wednesday for the Prevent system to do more to identify future attackers from their public social media activity - and said the scheme should be part of a wider plan to identify people who may carry out acts of extreme violence.

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