Tottenham: police shooting followed by riots

[Jan Klimkowski]

Hmmmm................

17 January 2013 Last updated at 20:26 BBC News

Police account of Mark Duggan's injuries 'differs' from pathologist

Mark Duggan was shot dead by police in Tottenham, north London, on 4 August 2011

Mark Duggan's injuries did not appear to be consistent with a police account of the fatal shooting, a Home Office pathologist has told a court.

Dr Simon Poole was testifying in the retrial of Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, who denies supplying an illegal gun to Mr Duggan the day he was shot.

A post-mortem examination showed Mr Duggan had bullet wounds to the chest and upper right arm.

He was shot dead by police on 4 August 2011 in Tottenham, north London.

His death sparked riots which swept across the capital and the country.
'Can't be right'

The Old Bailey heard the fatal shot was to the chest, entering the front right hand side and exiting the back of Mr Duggan on the left hand side.

The other bullet entered the right upper arm and tracked down a few centimetres under the skin, before exiting the arm and grazing the skin of the chest.

The doctor said he was unable to say the order in which the bullets were fired.

Stuart Denney QC, barrister for Mr Hutchinson-Foster, asked the pathologist to imagine a scene in which Mr Duggan had got out of a minicab and was heading towards a wall beside the road while a police officer had got out of a car behind the taxi and was standing on the pavement.

Kevin Hutchinson-Foster denies providing Mr Duggan with a gun

The jury has already heard evidence from a police officer known as V53 who described a similar situation leading up to the shooting.

Mr Denney suggested that if the police officer then fired the shot that struck Mr Duggan in the chest, the track of the bullet would have to pass from the left to the right.

He asked the pathologist: "But in fact the chest wound is right to left?"

"Yes, that's right," answered Dr Poole.

Mr Denney said: "So the scenario can't be right? The officer fires to his left and the bullet hits Mr Duggan in the chest and it should go from left to right - but it went right to left. Therefore the scenario can't be right?"

"I agree," Dr Poole replied.

Under re-examination Dr Poole agreed with the prosecution that if Mr Duggan turned to face the person who fired the shot, that would change the position of his body in relation to the person who fired the shot.

The trial continues.