Unarmed man shot dead by police in Culcheth, Cheshire

[Mark Gobell]

Police say officers who shot dead man were on planned operation

Residents in Culcheth, Cheshire, tell of fear as police shot dead man after stopping car

Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 4 March 2012 12.19 GMT
Article history


Police forensic officers at the scene in Culcheth, Cheshire. Photograph:
Dave Thompson/PA

Armed officers who shot a man dead in a countryside village on Saturday were on a planned operation, police have said.

Residents in the village of Culcheth, Cheshire, were left terrified when officers shot the man after the car he was in was stopped at about 7.20pm.

It remains unclear what prompted the incident, which is being investigated by the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Greater Manchester police confirmed its officers were deployed on a pre-planned operation in Cheshire. "As a result, one man was shot and suffered fatal injuries. This matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission who will be carrying out an independent investigation and Greater Manchester police is unable to comment further at this stage."

Residents spoke of their fear as they heard the shot fired during the incident near Jackson Avenue, Culcheth.

Speaking alongside her father, Jessica Brown, 15, said she was with friends in the Village Pizza takeaway in Common Lane when a couple came in and told them to "stand back against the wall".

"I didn't know them but they said to us to stand away so we were not hurt or seen by anyone," she said. "I later looked out of the window and saw three people in black clothing with gas masks on and saw other people chasing them."

She said her friends were in a playground in Common Lane and many ran for cover towards the shopping precinct as events unfolded.

One of her friend's parents came to the takeaway to collect them, she said. "When we came outside there was gas in the air, you could smell it. I then saw a black van with three or four people inside drive towards the car park. One of them was leaning outside the window and I later heard shots.

"It all looked like something off a film. It did not feel real at all. It was horrible."

A spokeswoman for Cheshire constabulary said a male occupant of the car was shot and sustained fatal injuries during the isolated incident. "Two men were arrested at the scene and remain in custody. The deceased's next of kin have been informed.

"The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been informed and will independently investigate the incident with the assistance of Cheshire constabulary and Greater Manchester police.

"Cheshire police patrols have been increased in the area, and the community of Culcheth should be reassured that this is an isolated incident and there is no risk to the community as a whole."

An IPCC spokeswoman said: "IPCC investigators are at the scene and working with officers from both Greater Manchester police and Cheshire constabulary."

*

BBC Video

[fish5133]

"pre planned op into armed robberies" does not mean that the shot person was an armed robber.

Dont really understand the gas masks and gas? Was this a tactic used against Raul Moat

With all the press about PC Rathband death did we have trigger happy cops happy on a bloodletting in tribute to a fellow cop?

[Mark Gobell]

Daily Mail

'It was like a movie': Children flee in terror as armed police swoop on village and gun down criminal cleared in drug trial fiasco

By Julian Gavaghan

Last updated at 2:53 PM on 5th March 2012

[Image} Anthony Grainger

Killed: Anthony Grainger was shot in the chest during the swoop

Children fled in terror as armed police opened fired on a gang of robbery suspects and killed a convicted criminal whose drugs trial collapsed after a juror contacted a defendant on Facebook.

Youngsters in a playground ran for cover while teenagers cowered in a pizza takeaway shop as police gunned down Anthony Grainger in Culcheth, Cheshire.

The 35-year-old father was shot in the chest by officers who wore protective masks and let off CS gas as they moved in on a red Audi hatchback on Saturday night.

The fatal shot was fired through the windscreen and local reports suggested that the killer round may have penetrated his heart.

A police source said officers had been tracking the car for some time in the belief that those inside were about to carry out a robbery.

When the occupants were seen allegedly putting on balaclavas, armed officers surrounded the car and ordered the three men inside to put their hands up.

It is believed Grainger did not do so. Moments later, officers opened fire.

Two other men were held after the swoop, which Greater Manchester Police said was a 'pre-planned operation' following a tip-off.

They refused to say whether Grainger, from Bolton, was armed and it is not known if any weapons were recovered from the car.

He is the first person to be killed by police marksmen since the death of Mark Duggan in Tottenham, north London, which sparked the riots last summer.

Saturday's incident, which came two weeks after a machete-wielding gang robbed a Co-Op store, is now under investigation by the the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Witnesses described how terror spread across the village as officers from the Specialist Operations branch swooped on the village, which is 15 miles west on Manchester.

Jessica Brown, 15, said she was with friends in the Village Pizza takeaway when a couple came in and warned them to 'stand back against the wall'.
Father: Grainger with a child, thought to be his, and his girlfriend Gail Hadfield, who today criticised police

'I later looked out of the window and saw three people in black clothing with gas masks on and saw other people chasing them,' she said.

'When we came outside there was gas in the air, you could smell it.

'I then saw a black van with three or four people inside drive towards the car park. One of them was leaning outside the window and I later heard shots.

'It all looked like something off a film. It did not feel real at all. It was horrible.'

Her father Anthony described his fear over 'mad men running around with guns shooting'.

He said his first thought was to get children inside and added: 'You don't want the kids outside when there's mad men running round with guns shooting.'

Jessica said a large number of her friends were also congregated in a playground in Common Lane and many ran for cover towards the shopping precinct as the scene unfolded.

Grainger’s girlfriend Gail Hadfield, 29, today condemned the ‘dirty b****** police who should never have fired on a man sat in a car in the corner of a car park’.

In a defiant misspelled message, she said: ‘You cant help who you fall in love with and they have been the best days of my life, not one regret, he is the most perfect caring man i have ever known.

‘God only takes the good ones.

‘He will be my everything forever, until the day we can be 2gva again, i send my love to your poor children, who have also lost, and your family.
‘I know you are up there waiting for me babe x and i can only count the days till we are back together.... I LOVE YOU X X X X.’

In 2010 Grainger, had been accused of being linked to a plot to corrupt a drugs squad officer into selling secret information in return for a £20,000 BMW and other bribes.

But the trial collapsed – at a cost of £6million – after it emerged that juror Joanne Fraill had discussed the case on Facebook with one of his co-defendants, Jamie Sewart. Fraill, 40, was jailed for eight months.

A fresh jury failed to reach a verdict on drugs charges against Grainger, but he was jailed for 20 months for handling stolen goods.

Mr Grainger's brother Stuart was jailed in 2001 for the murder of Derek Ianson. He was gunned down at his home in Salford.

A spokesman for IPCC said Mr Grainger died of a single gunshot wound to the chest.

He added: 'An inquest will be formally opened this afternoon at Warrington Coroners Court.

'IPCC investigators are continuing with their investigation into the death and have been present at the scene since last night.

'The independent investigation will consider the actions of all the officers at the scene, as well as the planning, decision making and implementation of the operation which led to the death.'

It is understood the operation was part of an investigation led by Greater Manchester Police into a planned robbery in the vicinity and did not involve other forces or the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (Titan) which tackles serious and organised crime gangs.

His body was taken away from the scene yesterday by private ambulance. Flowers nearby were left together with a handwritten note, saying 'RIP bro' and adding 'from your family'.

Greater Manchester's Deputy Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: 'Officers from our Specialist Operations branch were involved in an pre-planned operation that resulted in a car being stopped in the Culcheth area of Cheshire.

'As part of the operation, shots were fired and one man inside the vehicle was injured.

'The officers involved performed first aid on the victim at the scene but he sadly died. Two other men who were inside the car were arrested and will be questioned later today.

'This incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) who will carry out an independent inquiry to establish all the facts.

'I understand there will be a lot of anxious people both in the Cheshire community where this happened, and across Greater Manchester itself. I also understand there will inevitably be speculation about what happened and the events leading up to this man's death.

'Because there is an IPCC independent investigation, I cannot go into the specific details of the operation but equally I do want to provide some reassurance to people.

'Firstly, our thoughts are with the man's family during what will clearly be a very difficult and emotional time, and specially trained family liaison officers have been in contact with the family.

'I want to assure them that ourselves, Cheshire Police and the Independent Police Complaints Commission will carry out a thorough investigation which will establish all the facts.

'I also want to stress that the Force is providing significant welfare and support to officers from the firearms team and we are working with the Police Federation and the Superintendents Association as part of that support process.

'We are also working very closely with both Cheshire Police and the wider communities who will be affected by this incident to give those people the support they need over the coming days and weeks.

'Again, there are some details we will not be able to go into because of the independent inquiry but we will continue to keep our communities updated with what information we can share.'

Posts on a local social networking website forum referred to a 'noticeably high presence of police' in Culcheth in the past few days.

'It's almost as if there was an anticipation of something going to happen last night,' one person wrote.

There was also speculation that the shooting may have arisen from an attempted robbery of a village shop.

The Co-op store was the scene of a recent robbery in which a machete was used.

Three men entered the Co-op on February 18 at 9.05pm with one of them carrying the weapon covered by a bag.

Cigarettes were taken from behind the counter and stuffed into a duvet before a male employee was punched in the face.

The robbers made off in a grey Audi on the A574 towards Glazebury before the vehicle was found abandoned nearby.

Earlier this week, Cheshire Constabulary issued CCTV stills of the balaclava-clad raiders inside the shop as they appealed for more information.

Cheshire police said yesterday: 'Police patrols have been increased in the area, and the community of Culcheth should be reassured that this is an isolated incident and there is no risk to the community as a whole.'

A GMP spokesman refused to comment on whether Grainger had been shot through the heart.

Three men appeared at Manchester Magistrates Court charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.

David Totton, 33, of Manchester; Joseph Travers, 27, of no fixed address; and Robert Rimmer, 26, of New Moston, were remanded to appear at Manchester Crown Court on March 19.


.

[fish5133]

There you go all sorted--sounds like the type of criminal who deserved a bullet to the chest. seems like you can get shot dead for not hearing a police command to stick your hands up and get out of a car. might not be the easiest thing to do if you have just been gassed.

[Mark Gobell]

My IPCC / CPS crystal ball foretells: "insufficient evidence".

Even when it's one of their own...


.

[Mark Gobell]

Police Oracle

Police shooting of Anthony Paul Grainger - No weapons found at scene

Date - 6th March 2012

Courtesy of - Ananova

An "initial visual search" inside a car in which a man was shot dead by police has failed to locate any weapons, the police watchdog has said.

Anthony Paul Grainger, from Bolton, died of a single gunshot wound to the chest after the car he was in was stopped in the village of Culcheth, Cheshire.

The vehicle was stopped on Saturday evening in what police described as a "pre-planned operation". Mr Grainger was shot by an armed officer.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) deployed investigators to the scene and took over the investigation following the shooting at around 7.20pm.

Initial evidence collected suggests two police firearms were discharged during the incident, the IPCC said.

However, a full ballistic examination needs to be undertaken on the recovered police weapons to confirm this.

At this stage it is known that one round was discharged by an officer carrying a Heckler and Koch MP5 carbine.

This passed through the car windscreen and struck Mr Grainger (36) while he was sitting in the driver's seat of a red Audi car.

Two Hatton rounds were discharged into the car's tyres by an officer carrying a shotgun in order to disable the vehicle.

A CS canister was also deployed by hand into the vehicle by one of the firearms team.

An IPCC spokesman said: "Due to the presence of CS residue in the car, a full forensic examination has not yet been conducted to establish whether there are any weapons in the car.

"This will take place in a controlled environment in the next few days.

"An initial visual search inside the Audi, and a search of the immediate vicinity of the car, has not located any weapons."

Initial statements have been taken from the officer who fired the fatal shot, the officer who was carrying the shotgun and the firearms team leader.

House-to-house inquiries have also been conducted in the vicinity.

IPCC Commissioner Naseem Malik and the investigation team has met Mr Grainger's mother and partner to explain the role of the IPCC.

Ms Malik said: "My thoughts are with Mr Grainger's family and friends at what must be an incredibly difficult time for them.

"Our investigation into the actions of the officers at the scene, the planning and implementation of the police operation and the reason for the deployment and discharge of firearms is progressing.

"There is a great deal of work still to be done including forensic examinations, ballistic tests and interviews with a number of police officers.

"Investigators have identified some witnesses to events but I would urge anyone who has information about the incident to come forward to assist our investigation."

She added: "This is an independent investigation and we will examine thoroughly the whole incident and report our findings in due course."


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[fish5133]

[Mark Gobell]

Girlfriend accuses police over fatal car shooting

Gail Hadfield calls for officers to be 'brought to justice' over death of Anthony Grainger who was shot dead in stolen vehicle

Helen Nugent and Shiv Malik
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 11 March 2012 19.55 GMT
Article history

Handout photo of Anthony Grainger. His girlfried, Gail Hadfield, has called for police to be brought to justice after his fatal shooting by an armed officer. Photograph: Ipcc/PA

The girlfriend of a man shot dead by police has called for officers to be "brought to justice" after no weapons were found in the car he was driving. Gail Hadfield insisted Anthony Grainger was a "dedicated father" who did not deserve to die.

Grainger, 36, died from a single shot to the chest as he was sitting in the driver's seat of a stolen car in Culcheth, Cheshire, on the evening of 3 March. The father of two and a number of his associates had been under police surveillance in the time leading up to his death, in what Greater Manchester Police described as a "pre-planned operation".

A forensic examination of the car in which Grainger was shot through the windscreen has now been completed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is investigating his death. The search failed to find any firearms or weapons. None were found on Grainger.

Speaking to the Guardian, Hadfield claimed that, contrary to some media reports, Grainger was not known to the police as an armed robber.

"Anthony had a full-time job as a vehicle recovery driver for a well-established breakers' firm, dealing in damaged and repairable cars, also scrap cars, situated in Bury (Greater Manchester)," she said. "He didn't drink and was certainly not a party animal, he was a dedicated father."

She went on: "The car was stolen [but] it doesn't mean he knew it was – or even if he did, is that a reason to lose a life?"

Helen Hadfield, Gail's sister, had lived with the couple in Bolton. The 18-year-old student told the Guardian that his death had shocked the family.

She said: "I was crying for his death but when I found out that police had shot him my stomach churned and I got a huge lump in my throat. Then I started crying even harder."

She went on: "Anthony was so lovely. He would take care of my sister's children while she worked nights, he would settle them into bed, feed them, cuddle them and care for them. I've never seen the kids take so fondly to anyone like they did to Anthony, not even to myself.

"For the first time in years I saw my sister genuinely happy. I never saw her upset when Anthony was around. She always had a smile on her face … and you could see the love in her eyes. It felt like she'd finally found what she needed."

More than a dozen bouquets of flowers have been tied to railings in the corner of the car park where Grainger died. Among the messages is a card from Gail and her two children which said: "Anthony, you'll never be forgotten – Heaven now has a good man. You'll be with me every day."

Grainger, who had a kidney transplant six years ago, had two children from a previous relationship. The children, aged three and nine, live with their grandmother in Cumbria. "Anthony got up at 5am every Saturday and went up to Cumbria to see his kids," Helen Hadfield said.

Although Grainger had no convictions for violent crimes, he had been known to police for more than 13 years. In 1998, he was driving a car in a high-speed chase during which Derek Ianson smashed his way through the rear window of the stolen BMW and attacked the pursuing patrol car with a spanner.

Ianson was on bail awaiting sentence for joyriding and ram-raiding charges when Grainger's brother Stuart killed him with a machine gun after a fight involving a meat cleaver. Stuart Grainger was jailed for life in 2001. In 2010, Grainger was accused of being connected with a plot to corrupt a drugs squad officer into selling confidential information.

But the multimillion-pound trial collapsed after it emerged that a juror had exchanged messages with a co-defendant. Grainger was later cleared of conspiracy to supply drugs but was jailed for 20 months after admitting handling stolen cars in connection with the case.

Grainger's mother, Marie Schofield-Ahmed, wants the officer who shot her son to face a murder charge if the investigation finds evidence of misconduct. She is also considering suing the police.

"I expect to get [the decision] that the police have murdered my son and if it comes to that conclusion I want the officer charged with murder and I want the other officers charged with conspiracy to murder … that's what I hope and pray for," she said.

Naseem Malik, IPCC commissioner, said: "Mr Grainger's mother and partner … are understandably devastated by what has happened to Mr Grainger and I appreciate they will have many questions they want answers to. We will endeavour to answer those questions through our independent investigation."

An inquest into Grainger's death has been opened and adjourned at Warrington coroner's court. Three men have been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and will appear in court this month.

[fish5133]

Greater Manchester Police's chief constable Sir Peter Fahy will be charged over the death of Salford father Anthony Grainger. (corporate not personal-- but what about the policeman who fired the gun? Has this made national headlines like the Duggan case?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2315777/The-memory-stick-killi ng-When-police-lost-data-card-names-1-000-informants-questioned-father --cleared-Two-months-later-shot-dead.html

will be interesting to hear the outcome on this given the Duggan jury verdict. This killing was based purely on faulty profiling and assumption.


Greater Manchester Police's chief constable Sir Peter Fahy will be charged over the death of Salford father Anthony Grainger.

The 36-year-old was shot and killed by a GMP officer on March 3 2012 during a planned operation to arrest a group of men on suspicion of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

The Crown Prosecution Service said Mr Fahy is accused of failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act as he is "corporation sole" for the force, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

This is a legal status and means that he does not share criminal liability or will personally have to appear in court.

Cousin of Anthony Grainger 'disgusted' at decision not to charge firearms officer

Mr Grainger was shot dead by officers from Greater Manchester Police after his car was stopped as part of a planned operation in Culcheth, Cheshire, in March 2012.

It later emerged that the unarmed father of two had earlier been wrongly suspected of stealing a memory stick containing the names of police informants.

In July this year the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) confirmed that it had finished an investigation of the incident and passed a file to prosecutors.

The CPS today issued a statement that said "after careful consideration of all the evidence in this case, that there is sufficient evidence to prove that Greater Manchester Police breached the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act by failing to ensure that unnecessary risk to the suspects was avoided. It is alleged that an unnecessary exposure to risk was caused by serious deficiencies in the preparation for the police operation."

The first hearing will take place on February 10 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

The firearms officer who pulled the trigger will not face any charges, the CPS confirmed.

Alison Saunders, the Director of Public Prosecutions, said: “We have completed our review of the evidence provided by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in relation to the death of Anthony Grainger. After careful consideration we have decided that the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Peter Fahy, should be prosecuted as a corporation sole for failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

“In addition to every employer’s responsibility towards their employees, the law also imposes a duty to ensure that work is carried out in a way that ensures, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons outside of their employment are not exposed to risk. The chief officers of police forces are treated as employers for this purpose. It is alleged that there were serious deficiencies in the preparation for this operation that unnecessarily exposed individuals to risk.

“Criminal proceedings are active and the defendant has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

If the conviction is successful, the force would face an unlimited fine.

Prosecutors decided the marksman who killed Mr Grainger should not face charges for murder, manslaughter or misconduct in public office because a jury would be likely to accept that he believed his actions were necessary.

The CPS said: "In the circumstances of this case, our assessment of the evidence is that a jury would accept that the officer did believe his actions were necessary and that the level of force used in response to the threat as he perceived it to be was proportionate.

"The basis for the officer's belief in the necessity of his actions is relevant to the criminal proceedings under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and it would be inappropriate to publish any further detail at this time.

"There is also insufficient evidence to prosecute the officer for gross negligence manslaughter or misconduct in public office. It would be inappropriate to explain these decisions in detail at this time for the same reason."

GMP could not face a charge of corporate manslaughter because the force had no relevant duty of care towards Mr Grainger.

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: "Greater Manchester Police notes the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service to take no further action against any officer following the death of Anthony Grainger in March 2012.

"The Force also notes the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute Greater Manchester Police for a breach of section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

"Since Mr Grainger's death 22 months ago, Greater Manchester Police has co-operated fully with the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the Crown Prosecution Service and HM Coroner. Our sympathies remain with Mr Grainger's family and we deeply regret the loss that they have suffered.

"Mr Grainger's family, and the officers involved, have had to wait a long time for this decision to be reached and we share the frustrations over those delays. However, we understand that it was vitally important that the investigation was carried out thoroughly to establish all the facts.

"Now that a charging decision has been made regarding the Force itself, it is equally important that these legal processes are allowed to take their course unimpeded in order to seek a resolution for both the family of Mr Grainger and the Force.

"The Independent Police Complaints Commission investigated this matter independently and we await the official publication of their report. This matter also remains the subject of a Coronial Inquest, so Greater Manchester Police is unable to make further comment at this time."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/an thony-grainger-shooting-sir-peter-6513838
more on the case
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2315777/The-memory-stick-killi ng-When-police-lost-data-card-names-1-000-informants-questioned-father --cleared-Two-months-later-shot-dead.html