Table leg man was armed robber

Patrick McGowan12 April 2012

The man shot dead by police who mistook the table leg he was carrying for a sawn-off shotgun was a convicted armed robber who had also just served a four-year sentence for grievous bodily harm.

There were angry scenes at the inquest on Harry Stanley today when police introduced evidence of his past criminal record. In a restrained but furious clash between Timothy Owen QC, representing Mr Stanley's family, and coroner Dr Stephen Chan, Mr Owen was ordered to sit down after he asked what the relevance of Mr Stanley's record was.

The inquest, which has been told Mr Stanley "deliberately" turned towards two armed police officers who challenged him, was told his last conviction, in 1993, was for grievous bodily harm with intent for which he served four years. The inquest was told there were a number of "spent" convictions which normally would not be made public. These dated back to 1963 and included offences for which he had served several terms of imprisonment including robbery and possession of drugs.

In 1974 he was convicted of armed robbery. "A sawn-off shotgun was used in that incident?" said Dr Chan.

Police officers were unable to confirm that Mr Stanley had been armed on that occasion. Friends and relatives exclaimed furiously as Mr Owen asked the coroner: "What is the relevance of this to what the jury have to consider here. How can this help the jury decide the issues they have to decide."

The coroner told him: "I note your objection, now please sit down."

The inquest also heard today from a police constable of his disbelief as Mr Stanley, apparently armed with a sawn-off shotgun, pointed it at him and prepared to open fire.

Constable Kevin Fagan said he thought he was about to be killed and opened fire himself. Only later did he discover the 45-year-old grandfather was unarmed and the tightly wrapped object in his hands was not a sawn-off shotgun but a coffee table leg which his brother had repaired for him.

PC Fagan was in an armed response vehicle called to Victoria Park Road in Hackney in September 1999 after a member of the public made a 999 call believing Mr Stanley had a gun.

The shot PC Fagan fired from his Glock pistol hit Mr Stanley in the hand, a shot fired by his colleague, Inspector Neil Sharman, hit him in the head, killing him instantly.

PC Fagan told St Pancras Coroners Court how the two officers spotted Mr Stanley, who had had a major operation for cancer 10 days earlier, walking slowly down the road. They pulled over, leapt out of their car and ran towards him.

"The male was walking away from us, the blue plastic bag still wrapped in his hand," he said. "At this point I raised my Glock so it was pointing down in front of me. I shouted, 'armed police - armed police'.

"He stopped and deliberately turned on his left-hand side and as he turned he began to level the object in his bag."

PC Fagan said Mr Stanley turned around ".... in a fluid deliberate movement until the object was pointing directly at me. At this point I thought, 'This is a sawn-off shotgun.' I thought I was about to be shot and killed."

He said he delayed a split-second. "In that time he brought the weapon into his hip in a steady motion. That was confirmation for me that I was about to be shot and killed by someone carrying a sawn-off shotgun from very close range indeed. I genuinely feared for my safety. I fired one shot because I feared any second I was about to be killed."

Outside St Pancras Coroner's Court Mr Stanley's widow, Irene, said: "This is outrageous. We never claimed that Harry was an angel."

Details of her husband's past were introduced by Detective Chief Inspector Brian Boxall who took part in the investigation into the shooting. He told the inquest that it had been decided to take no action against Inspector Sharman and Pc Fagan although possible offences of murder, attempted murder and manslaughter and disciplinary offences of misconduct and gross neglect had been considered. The inquest continues.

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