Drunken barrister in police siege 'lawfully killed'

An alcoholic barrister who pointed his shotgun at police was lawfully killed when they opened fire in response, an inquest jury has ruled.

Mark Saunders, 32, died when marksmen fired a volley of shots during a drunken stand-off at his home in Markham Square, Chelsea, on May 6 2008.

A jury at Westminster Coroner's Court ruled their lethal actions were lawful, proportionate and reasonable at the conclusion of a two-and-half-week inquest.

The panel found fatal shots were "likely" to be caused by police shots that were lawfully fired in "reasonable self-defence".

The jury said it was not sure Mr Saunders "deliberately and consciously" committed 'suicide by cop' by using his shotgun to provoke police to shoot him. The inquest heard the gunman said he expected to die several times during the evening but that he was extremely drunk and may have been in a fantasy world.

The jury said more detailed consideration should have been given by police at an early stage in the siege to using his wife or friend to defuse the situation.