The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is to review evidence from
an inquest which found that a policeman shot dead in a training
exercise was unlawfully killed.
A Manchester Crown Court jury found that a catalogue of errors
by Greater Manchester Police's firearms unit and by the officer who
pulled the trigger had caused the death of Pc Ian Terry.
It heard 32-year-old Pc Terry, from Burnley, was shot by his
friend - granted anonymity and identified only as Chris - after
brandishing an unloaded handgun while playing the role of a fleeing
criminal.
On seeing the weapon, the officer acted "instinctively" and shot
the man - who was not wearing body armour - at close range with his
pump action shotgun, hitting him at a range of no more than 12
inches.
The gun was loaded with Round Irritant Personnel ammunition -
designed to burst tyres but fatal at close range.
The CPS had earlier decided not to pursue criminal charges
against the still-serving police officer because of "insufficient
evidence".
A CPS spokeswoman said the organisation would now re-examine the
case to "consider whether any significant new evidence arose from
the inquest".
Jill
Greenfield, partner in our personal
injury department, previously represented Keith Tilbury, who
was also shot and seriously injured during a
training accident while working for Thames Valley Police.