The family of PC Keith Blakelock said they are “extremely sad and disappointed” after the man accused of his murder was found not guilty.

Nicky Jacobs was today cleared of murdering the police constable during the Broadwater Farm Riots in Tottenham in October 1985.

PC Blakelock was attacked by an armed mob after his unit was deployed to protect firefighters tackling a blaze on the estate.

Jacobs, who was 16 at the time, has been on trial at the Old Bailey for the past six weeks accused of being one of the rioters who together stabbed the officer more than 40 times and tried to decapitate him.

A statement published on behalf of the Blakelock family thanked the Metropolitan Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Prosecution Barristers and all those involved in ensuring the case was able to be put before a jury.

It read: “We are obviously extremely sad and disappointed at the verdict. We viewed this trial as an opportunity to see some form of justice served for Keith.

“There were many people involved in a murder on that night of October 6, 1985 and it is regretful that no one has yet been found guilty despite the number of people with knowledge of the events of that night.

"We appreciate the work and effort over the years since events on Broadwater Farm that night in trying to bring people to justice.

"We hope that more people are able to come forward so that some of those guilty can be brought to justice in the future."

Jacobs, who had denied murder, was the seventh person to be tried for the Blakelock killing.

The jury, which also cleared Jacobs of manslaughter, cleared him of murder after deliberating for six hours and 15 minutes.

Jacobs was charged last year after a multi-million pound reinvestigation by Scotland Yard.