The Public Inquiry into the fatal shooting of Anthony Grainger has published its long awaited report and findings today, Thursday 11th July 2019, concluding that Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were to blame for his death.

Grainger’s death arose out of a Greater Manchester Police covert investigation named Operation Shire. He was shot dead on 3 March 2012 by an armed police officer known as Q9, as he was sitting in the driver’s seat of his car in a car park in Culcheth. He was unarmed. There were no guns in his car. He was shot at close range by Q9 with a machine gun.

The highly critical report on the incident delivered by Judge Thomas Teague QC references a catalogue of errors and botched police operation based on flawed intelligence, meaning GMP did  not conduct the armed deployment in accordance with the requirements under article 2 (right to life) of the European convention on human rights.

Farleys Solicitors have worked with Mr Grainger’s family over the last seven years as they have tried to come to terms with this violent killing and to discover the truth as to why Anthony died.

Over the last seven years there have been two Inquiries into Grainger’s death.  An Inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)  in 2013 concluded there had been numerous failings in the Grainger operation, including falsified police notes and collusion of police marksmen over statements, leading to a ‘false impression’ of intelligence.

The second 14 week long Inquiry in 2017  revealed that intelligence did not support a reasonable view that Grainger was violent, possessed firearms or was involved in armed robbery.  This particular Inquiry heard evidence from around 80 witnesses and was the second only Inquiry of its kind into a fatal police shooting.

Speaking after todays hearing, Anthony’s family said:

“The damning report catalogues dishonesty and corruption at the highest level of GMP. Senior officers lied to the Inquiry. They provided evidence intended to mislead and to obscure the truth, and have reconstructed evidence to deflect personal criticism. They have displayed a cavalier approach to public safety.

“The failings extend to the very top of GMP with two Assistant Chief Constables criticised for giving misleading evidence.

“The Chairman describes serious inaccuracies in threat assessments, seriously misleading briefings of firearms officers, a fundamentally flawed tactical approach, and planning of the operation that was incompetent and dangerous.

“Anthony died because of these failings by GMP. Anthony’s family have referred the matter today to the CPS inviting criminal proceedings against at least 4 senior police officers. The IOPC will also be invited to investigate various officers with a view to disciplinary proceedings. Most importantly, the family will ask the CPS to consider bringing proceedings as a result of Anthony’s unlawful killing by GMP.

“We call for urgent root and branch reform of GMP generally and their firearms unit in particular, to avoid the public being put at risk.

“The family would like to thank HHJ Teague and his team for their thorough report and for their conduct of the Inquiry”.

 

The legal team

Anthony’s family is represented by a legal team with extensive experience of similar cases:

Lead Counsel – Leslie Thomas QC, Garden Court Chambers, London

Junior Counsel – Adam Straw, Doughty Street Chambers, London                     

Solicitor – Jonathan Bridge, Farleys Solicitors LLP, Manchester

Litigation Executive – David Corrigan, Farleys Solicitors LLP, Manchester