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SHOT DEAD: Mark Duggan

MARK DUGGAN was wrongly judged to have fired at police before he was fatally shot by a senior officer, the inquest jury into his death have heard.

Michael Mansfield QC told the inquest that detective chief inspector Mick Foote had contacted a colleague telling him that Duggan "came towards officers firing."

While giving evidence, Foote, who led Operation Dibri aimed at tackling London gangs, said he did not remember saying that to the officer.

In fact, the court heard that Foote was “surprised” that the media reported that a “shoot out” had taken place between Duggan and the police following the killing.

Duggan, 29, was shot dead by armed police in August 2011 in Tottenham, north London – his death is widely considered to have initiated the riots across the capital and other cities of that summer.

Mansfield, representing the Duggan family, questioned why armed police had not intercepted Mr Duggan in Leyton, east London, when they received intelligence that he was planning to travel in a minicab to pick up a gun.

Instead of heading Duggan off in Ferry Lane, Tottenham, Mansfield said that if they had gone straight to Leyton, "they would have found an ideal place for an interception".