Jermaine Baker: Public inquiry into death of man shot by police

Jermaine Baker was shot dead near Wood Green Crown Court

A public inquiry will be held into the death of a man who was shot by a police marksman during an attempt to free a prisoner.

Jermaine Baker, from Tottenham, was shot dead by an armed officer during a foiled a break-out attempt near Wood Green Crown Court in December 2015.

Criminal charges against the marksman, known as W80, were dropped in 2017.

The inquiry will replace a planned inquest so "information is heard in the most appropriate forum", police said.

In a written ministerial statement to the House of Commons, Home Secretary Priti Patel said the inquiry would be launched under the Inquiries Act 2005 to investigate the circumstances of the death.

It will be led by Judge Clement Goldstone QC.

An imitation firearm was later found in the car Mr Baker had been sitting in

Mr Baker, 28, was among a group of men trying to free inmate Izzet Eren as he was transported from Wormwood Scrubs prison to be sentenced for a firearms offence.

Officer W80 claimed he had acted in self-defence, fearing Mr Baker was reaching for a gun.

No firearm was found but police did recover an imitation Uzi machine gun in the rear of the car.

Mr Baker died from a single gunshot wound.

Last year the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced it had directed the Met Police to launch disciplinary proceedings into the officer over alleged use of excessive force.

But the police watchdog's decision was quashed by a High Court ruling in August which found it had applied the wrong legal tests to order the gross misconduct hearing, so this did not go ahead.

The IOPC said it has appealed this decision to the Court of Appeal and a hearing is expected to take place later this year.

W80 remains a serving officer.