Anthony Grainger: Police admit operation 'errors'

Greater Manchester Police said it made "avoidable errors" in Mr Grainger's shooting

A police force made mistakes over the fatal shooting of an unarmed man but said there was no "cover up", a public inquiry heard.

Anthony Grainger, of Bolton, was shot in the chest during a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) operation in Culcheth, Cheshire, on 3 March 2012.

Liverpool Crown Court heard GMP was "committed to learning lessons".

Anne Whyte QC, for the force, said: "No commander or firearms officer goes to work wishing to injure or kill."

Mr Grainger was under surveillance as part of Operation Shire, set up to target an organised crime gang believed to be conspiring to commit armed robberies.

He was shot through the windscreen of a stolen Audi in a car park.

Anthony Grainger was shot dead in 2012

In her closing statement, Ms Whyte said inaccurate information given to firearms officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) "contained avoidable errors".

She said: "The team relied on sensitive intelligence from the NCA. Some (of it) was inaccurate and out of date. The team received it in good faith."

But there was no cover up or culture of secrecy at GMP. Ms Whyte added: "The worst is always assumed - misjudgements immediately characterised as more sinister."

"We are conscious that errors have occurred... GMP is committed to learning lessons from the untimely death of Anthony Grainger."

The public inquiry has heard from 80 witnesses since hearings began in January.

Inquiry chairman Judge Teague will now begin the process of writing his report.

Mr Grainger's inquest was converted to a public inquiry in March 2016 by then-Home Secretary Theresa May.