Lewis Skelton inquest: Hull man unlawfully killed, jury rules

Lewis Skelton died after he was shot by police in Hull city centre in 2016

A man carrying an axe who was fatally shot by police was unlawfully killed, an inquest jury has ruled.

Lewis Skelton, 31, was shot twice in a Hull street in November 2016 after he failed to respond to police instructions to stop.

His family said the jury's decision confirmed what they had always known, that "the killing of Lewis was wrong".

Responding to the verdict, Humberside Police said it was "disappointed" with the conclusion.

Mr Skelton's sister Tia said it had been a "huge day".

"It has been incredibly difficult for us to hear and see all the evidence, there was nothing to suggest that Lewis was aggressive or dangerous on that day," she said.

"His final moments must have been ones of terror and fear and this is so hard as a family to know."

'Needed help'

She criticised media reports in 2016, which described her brother as a "crazed axeman" or "axe-wielding" which, she said, did not come from witnesses.

Ms Skelton said she hoped the jury's verdict would put the focus back "on the actions of the police officers who took his life".

"Lewis needed help, but he was killed and he should never have been taken from us," she added.

Lewis Skelton (pictured with his family) had mental health problems, the court had heard

Earlier, the jury had been told it had to decide if Mr Skelton was lawfully or unlawfully killed, or whether to return an open conclusion.

The inquest, at Hull Coroner's Court, heard that Humberside Police received three 999 calls on 29 November 2016 saying a man was walking down Holderness Road carrying an axe.

Armed officers subsequently caught up with him in Francis Street in the city centre.

The officer who fired the fatal shots, who was only identified as officer B50, described how Mr Skelton failed to stop when challenged and the use of a Taser four times had no effect.

As Mr Skelton jogged to another street and was seen approaching some workmen, one of the officers decided there was an immediate threat and shot him with a pistol before restraining him.

Mr Skelton, who the jury was told had mental health problems, was shot twice in the back.

He died later in hospital.

'Sad and tragic event'

Assistant Chief Constable of Humberside Police Chris Noble said: "We are disappointed with this conclusion and are concerned that it does not undermine the confidence of officers to act decisively when making split-second decisions to protect the public."

Mr Noble said the jury had reached a different conclusion to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) who found the officer's actions to be "proportionate to the risk that was identified to members of the public".

He said the force respected the jury's decision, but he added: "In light of the IOPC's full and independent investigation, which came to very different conclusions to those of the jury, in that, they found that no police officers had either committed a criminal offence or behaved in a manner which would justify disciplinary proceedings, we now await further directions from the IOPC.

"Our thoughts remain with Lewis' family and friends, and the officers involved in this very sad and tragic event."

Mr Noble added that he hoped the inquest had "brought some closure" to the family.