Police say Mark Duggan ‘looked ready to shoot’

Published on 19/09/2012 01:00

Armed police shot Mark ­Duggan as he got out of a minicab holding a loaded gun and appeared to be about to shoot, a court heard yesterday.

The situation, which led to rioting in August last year, was “as dangerous a position as possible” for police marksmen, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

At the trial of the man ­accused of passing the handgun to Mr Duggan, the jury heard he collected it just 15 minutes before he was shot dead on 4 August, 2011.

The 29-year-old’s death in Tottenham, north London, sparked riots that swept across the capital and the country.

Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, 30, is on trial accused of passing the gun to Mr Duggan that same day. He is charged with “selling or transferring a prohibited firearm” to Mr Duggan between 28 July and 5 August, 2011.

Hutchinson-Foster, of no fixed abode, denies passing the BBM Bruni Model 92 handgun to Mr Duggan, contrary to the Firearms Act 1968. The 
court heard that Mr Duggan had been under surveillance on 4 August, as well as the previous day.

The prosecution claims he travelled in a minicab to collect the gun from Hutchinson-Foster in Leyton, east London, before continuing to Tottenham.

Prosecutor Edward Brown QC said Mr Duggan was followed by armed police and was seen to bring the gun round as if to shoot.

Hutchinson-Foster denies selling or transferring a prohibited firearm and the case was adjourned until today.