Fury as jury clears police over killing that sparked UK-wide riots

FATHER-OF-SIX Mark Duggan, whose death sparked riots across the UK in the summer of 2011, was lawfully killed when he was shot dead by a police marksman, a jury has found.
Mark Duggan's mother, Pam Duggan (2nd right) and her son Marlon Duggan (left) outside the Royal Courts of JusticeMark Duggan's mother, Pam Duggan (2nd right) and her son Marlon Duggan (left) outside the Royal Courts of Justice
Mark Duggan's mother, Pam Duggan (2nd right) and her son Marlon Duggan (left) outside the Royal Courts of Justice

The 29-year-old was gunned down when police stopped the taxi in which he was travelling in Tottenham, north London.

He was being followed by officers who believed he planned to pick up a gun from another man, Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, and then move on to Broadwater Farm, also in Tottenham.

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Mr Duggan’s death sparked protests that exploded into riots and looting across the country.

Mark Duggan's mother, Pam Duggan (2nd right) and her son Marlon Duggan (left) outside the Royal Courts of JusticeMark Duggan's mother, Pam Duggan (2nd right) and her son Marlon Duggan (left) outside the Royal Courts of Justice
Mark Duggan's mother, Pam Duggan (2nd right) and her son Marlon Duggan (left) outside the Royal Courts of Justice

Today jurors at the Royal Courts of Justice concluded that he had been lawfully killed by police.

They decided that he did have a gun but it was not in his hand when he was shot.

There were emotional outbursts at the court when the conclusion was given, with Mr Duggan’s brother shouting after the jurors as they left court, saying “f**k them”.

Other supporters shouted “murderers”.

Fire raging through a building in Tottenham, north London, in 2011Fire raging through a building in Tottenham, north London, in 2011
Fire raging through a building in Tottenham, north London, in 2011
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The jurors reached the lawful killing conclusion by a majority of eight to two.

The jury concluded that Mr Duggan had a gun in the taxi with him before it was stopped, and by a majority of nine to one that it was more likely than not that he had thrown it onto a grassy area near the scene as soon as the car was stopped.

Eight jurors said that they were sure that he did not have a gun in his hand when he was shot.

Outbursts continued in the corridors of the court complex after the verdict, as supporters repeatedly shouted “murderers” and claimed police had got away with murder.

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Some smashed a door and security staff were called to contain the situation.

The panel of seven women and three men said that police had not done enough to gather and react to intelligence about the possibility of Mr Duggan collecting a gun from Hutchinson-Foster.

But they found that the car had been stopped in a location and in a way that “minimised to the greatest extent possible recourse to lethal force”.

There were also angry scenes outside the court as protesters shouted, ‘”f*** the police” while the media waited for the Met Police to give their reaction to the jury’s conclusions.

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One supporter told journalists in the courtroom: “A black life ain’t worth nothing, print that.”

Groups gathered in the courtyard of the historic Royal Courts of Justice consoling each other, as a smell of cannabis lingered in the air.

Angry protesters gathered outside the building shouting: “No justice, no peace, f**k the police”.

Outside the High Court, the family’s solicitor Marcia Willis Stewart said: “On August 4, 2011 an unarmed man was shot down in Tottenham. Today we have had what we can only call a perverse judgment.

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“The jury found that he had no gun in his hand and yet he was gunned down. For us that’s an unlawful killing.”

As her words were interspersed with shouting from a gathered crowd, she went on: “The family are in a state of shock and we would ask that you respect their shock.

“They can’t believe that this has been the outcome. No gun in his hand and yet he was killed - murdered as they have said, no gun in his hand.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “The police do a vitally important job, so it is right they are held to the highest possible standards and subject to rigorous examination.

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“The inquest jury has given its verdict on the incident in which Mark Duggan lost his life. The IPCC will now continue with its investigation, taking into account the evidence heard during the inquest. While that process is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

Mr Duggan’s aunt Carole Duggan said: “For as long as it takes, God give my family strength.”

She said: “The majority of the people in this country know that Mark was executed.

“We are going to fight until we have no breath left in our body for Mark and his children.”

Vowing not to give up, she added: “No justice, no peace.”

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The father-of-six’s brother Shaun Hall said: “We came for justice today, we don’t feel we are leaving with justice.”

He added: “We’ve got nothing to hide. We don’t feel we have got anything to hide for.

“We have got nothing to hide, we have done nothing wrong. We will still fight for justice.”

Deborah Coles, from the charity Inquest, said Mr Duggan’s family were considering whether to apply for the decision to be judicially reviewed.

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“The family are going to consider the next steps and are going to consider whether they will judicially review the decision.

“As far as the family and the community are concerned this isn’t the end. They will continue to strive for justice.”