Murder of Stephen Oake

In the years following his murder, there was debate over whether Oake should be formally recognised for his bravery in Bourgass' arrest, including a call from his chief constable for him to receive the highest civil decoration in the United Kingdom — the George Cross (GC). A civil service committee decided in 2006 that Oake's actions had not met the "extremely high" standards of bravery beyond the call of duty for the GC. He was, however, posthumously awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal — the third-level civil decoration after the GC and George Medal — in 2009, only the ninth such posthumous award for a police officer since the creation of the medal in 1974. One of his colleagues, an unnamed Detective Sergeant, who was stabbed twice in the incident but survived, received a Queen's Commendation for Bravery. The awards were cited in the London Gazette of 6 January 2009.

Bourgass is currently serving his sentence at Wakefield prison in West Yorkshire. He was originally incarcerated at Frankland prison near Durham; in July 2008 trouble broke out there after inmates set his cell on fire. After his move to Wakefield, it was reported in 2009 that Bourgass was recruiting fellow extremist prisoners to communicate with undercover al-Qaeda operatives in London in relation to a new poison plot. In February 2011, a High Court judge rejected an appeal filed by Bourgass' lawyers that segregation procedures taken by prison authorities breached his common law rights and human rights. The segregation followed allegations that Bourgass was trying to exert control over other prisoners, especially fellow Muslims whom he "pressurised" to attend prayers. He was also suspected of being involved in organising an assault on one prisoner who needed 50 stitches to his face.

In 2005 the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority paid £13,000 to Oake's widow and to each of his three children, amounts which the Greater Manchester Police Federation said failed to match the sacrifice the detective had made.

A second trial in connection with the bioterrorism plot concluded on 8 April 2005. Bourgass was convicted of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance by using poisons or explosives and handed an additional 17 years to his sentence. A charge of conspiracy to commit murder in relation to the plot was left on file after the jury failed to reach a verdict on that count. Four other men, Mouloud Sihali, David Khalef, Sidali Feddag and Mustapha Taleb, who all knew Bourgass, were tried and acquitted. A second trial for four others, Samir Asli, Khalid Alwerfeli, Mouloud Bouhrama and Kamel Merzoug was abandoned.

Kamel Bourgass was convicted at the Old Bailey on 29 June 2004 of the murder of Oake, of the attempted murder of two other officers and of the wounding of another. He had claimed he killed Oake out of fear, but was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years plus an additional 15 years for the attempted murder charges. Bourgass appealed against the conviction, which was upheld in July 2005.

DC Stephen Robin Oake, QGM was a police officer serving as an anti-terrorism detective with Greater Manchester Police in the United Kingdom who was murdered while attempting to arrest a suspected terrorist in Manchester on 14 January 2003.

On 14 January 2003, Oake and colleagues went to Flat 4, 4 Crumpsall Lane, in the Crumpsall area of north Manchester, as part of an immigration operation. The resident was not expected to be there, but the police found three men, including Algerian illegal immigrant Kamel Bourgass, who had arrived in England in the back of a lorry three years before. Bourgass, who had attended Al-Muhajiroun meetings in the months leading up to the attack, was not immediately recognised despite being wanted in London in connection with what became known as the Wood Green ricin plot, a bioterrorism plot to attack the London Underground. He was not perceived to pose a threat and thus was not handcuffed by the officers.

Oake was born in Poynton, Cheshire; his father Robin Oake is a former chief constable of the Isle of Man Constabulary and a recipient of the Queen's Police Medal. Stephen Oake served with Greater Manchester Police for almost 20 years until his death and as an anti-terrorism detective in the special branch since 1999. In 2002 he was commended for his professional skills and expertise.