Fishmongers' Hall terror attack victim Jack Merritt's life 'was a triumph'

Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt were killed during a conference on rehabilitating offenders near London Bridge

The mother of a Cambridge graduate killed in a terror attack in central London in 2019 has told an inquest that her son's death "was a tragedy, but his life was a triumph".

Convicted terrorist Usman Khan stabbed Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones at a prisoner rehabilitation conference at Fishmongers' Hall on 29 November.

He injured two others before he was shot dead by police on London Bridge.

The inquest at London's Guildhall is due to last nine weeks.

After a jury was sworn in, Anne Merritt said her 25-year-old son was a "force for good in the world" and had a "strong moral compass".

Friends from Cambridge University, where he worked for the criminal justice charity Learning Together, said he was "absorbingly intelligent" and "fiercely loyal".

Fishmongers' Hall, below London Bridge

She told jurors: "Jack Merritt was a good person. Jack was a force for good in the world, someone who made other people's lives better for knowing him.

"We are hugely proud of who Jack was and what he stood for. His death was a tragedy but his life was a triumph."

She read tributes from friends and family, who described him as a "true visionary", a "very cool brother" and a "fiercely loyal" friend who "championed the underdog".

Messages of condolences were left at London Bridge after the attack

Friends from Manchester University, where Mr Merritt studied, said: "It was clear that Jack was intelligent, but when we started to study miscarriages of justice in further detail, it became clear how strongly Jack felt about criminal justice."

The family of Ms Jones, from Stratford-upon-Avon, described her as someone with a "private nature".

In a statement read by Henry Pitchers QC, the family said they chose not to provide a full portrait of the 23-year-old at the inquest.

"They believe that she would wish the focus of the coroner and the jury to be on the facts and evidence before them and for the emphasis to be on a thorough investigation as to how she came to lose her life," the statement continued.

"It would be her hope that no other family is devastated and heartbroken again in similar circumstances.

"It is very important to the family that Saskia's legacy should not solely be based on her work with Learning Together as she was about so much more than just that.

"She should be defined as someone who battled to improve the lives of others in several spheres and was driven to make real changes in the world."

The family statement said Ms Jones did "incredible research in the field of sexual violence and Rape Crisis".

"Her passion in this area enabled her to finally find her career path with the hope of becoming a detective in victim support within a police force," the family added.

"The grief and loss that the family and friends of Saskia continue to endure is personal to them and it is their wish that it remains so."

Usman Khan was jailed in 2012 over a plot to blow up the London Stock Exchange

As the inquest got under way Det Ch Insp Dan Brown chronicled the attack in a series of photographs and videos.

Footage from shortly before midday showed 28-year-old Khan talking "animatedly" with Ms Jones at a table, even though they had not known each other.

A 13:56 GMT he launched his attack in the men's toilets at Fishmongers' Hall, strapping two knives on to his hands, leaving a bag containing a third blade in a cubicle and dropping a prayer book on the floor.

Jurors were told that Mr Merritt had had some professional dealings with Khan before the Learning Together event at the hall

He came across Mr Merritt, stabbing him multiple times, causing 12 injuries including a fatal wound to the chest, the court heard.

Khan made his way to the cloakroom area, where he gestured to a member of staff "as if to be quiet", Det Ch Insp Brown said.

Ms Jones was stabbed once in the neck and staggered up a few steps before she collapsed, jurors heard.

Jurors heard that one of Khan's knives had a crudely etched Arabic symbol for Allah on it

Khan went on to injure Stephanie Szczotko and Isobel Rowbotham before he was confronted by a number of attendees with makeshift weapons, including an ornamental pike taken from the wall.

The attacker approached a member of staff, held a knife to his chest and asked him to open the door, which he did, the court was told.

Khan was pursued on to London Bridge by John Crilly, Steven Gallant and Darryn Frost at 14:01, jurors were told.

Mr Crilly sprayed a fire extinguisher at him and Mr Frost jabbed at him with a narwhal tusk before they all tackled Khan to the ground with other members of the public.

Police had been called at 13:58 and armed City of London Police officers arrived at 14:02.

Det Ch Insp Brown said Khan appeared to be wearing an improvised explosive device (IED) strapped around his midriff and people were told stand clear.

Khan was then shot and Tasered by police but still appeared to present a threat as he writhed on the floor wearing the suspected IED, Mr Brown said.

By 14:12 Khan was dead.

An examination of the device later revealed it was not genuine, the court heard.

The hearing is expected to be followed by a separate jury inquest into the death of Khan.