Metropolitan Police On Trial Over Tube Shooting

[Oldbillplod]

The Metropolitan Police will go on trial over alleged health and safety failures that led to an innocent man being mistaken for a terrorist and shot dead.

Jean Charles de Menezes was gunned down at Stockwell Tube station in south London by firearms officers who wrongly believed he was about to launch a suicide attack.

The 27-year-old Brazilian was followed to the station on July 22, 2005 from an address police believed was linked to attempted bomber Hussain Osman.

Now the Met is in the dock accused of failing to conduct the operation without exposing members of the public, including Mr de Menezes, to risk.

Named in the indictment is the Office of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, accused of failure to discharge a duty under section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The charge focuses on the "investigation and surveillance of a location believed to be connected with a suspected suicide bomber, and the planning and the implementation of the surveillance, pursuit, arrest and detention of a suspected suicide bomber, and the prevention of a suicide bombing".

It is alleged that the Met failed to conduct this operation in such a way that "members of the public including Jean Charles de Menezes were not exposed to risks to their health and safety". The force denies the charge.

The trial at the Old Bailey is expected to last six weeks.