Yassar Yaqub inquest: Police driver recalls fatal shooting on M62

Yassar Yaqub was shot dead by police on the M62 in 2017

The driver of a covert police vehicle that stopped a car before a man was fatally shot has described the moments leading up to the incident.

Yassar Yaqub was shot by an armed officer when the Audi car he was travelling in was stopped on the M62 near Huddersfield in January 2017.

A jury inquest into his death at Leeds Crown Court has been hearing evidence from police officers.

The driver told the court he collided with the Audi to bring it to a halt.

The car Mr Yaqub was travelling in was stopped near Junction 24 at Huddersfield

Four covert vehicles containing firearms officers were supporting a team of West Yorkshire Police officers as they carried out surveillance on Mr Yaqub and three other men on 2 January 2017.

The driver of the primary armed officer vehicle, who is known as V32, told the inquest that the cars were waiting a short distance from Cafe de Akbar in Bradford while Mr Yaqub and the men had a meal.

The court was shown CCTV footage of Mr Yaqub eating with Moshin Amin, Mohammed Nisar Khan and Kashif Tahir at about 16:40 GMT before the group left the restaurant.

Police later followed the two cars the men were travelling in - a white Audi A4 driven by Mr Amin with Mr Yaqub in the passenger seat, and a white VW Scirocco.

The transcript of the communication between the police officers said it was believed the men would have at least one firearm.

At 18:05 GMT the officers were given the order to "strike" and at 18:06 GMT the transcript shows an ambulance was requested after shots were fired.

'Loud bangs'

Officer V32 told the court he was asked to drive in front of the Audi as it left the M62 at junction 24.

He said: "I used tactical contact with my vehicle to collide with the front offside of the Audi, it was intentional.

"I can recall shouts of 'armed police' coming both from inside our vehicle and from outside the vehicle. I heard two loud bangs.

"It was clear that the passenger was seriously injured."

He told the inquest that he tried to take Mr Yaqub out of the car and that first aid was carried out.

Officer V32 then told the court that he returned to the car to check there was no one else left inside it and he saw a pistol on the floor on the front passenger side.

The inquest was previously told an armed officer had leant out of his window and fired three shots at Mr Yaqub.

Two of the bullets hit him in the chest and caused "catastrophic blood loss".

The inquest was adjourned and will continue at 10:30 BST on Wednesday.