Duggan family hit out at gun supply trial

A jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on Wednesday in the case of Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, 30, who is accused of supplying a gun to Mr Duggan just 15 minutes before he was shot dead by police marksmen on August 4 2011.

A retrial is now expected.

During the trial the prosecution alleged that Mr Duggan had collected the BBM Bruni Model 92 handgun minutes before he was shot dead.

Armed police, who gave evidence anonymously, told the court that they opened fire on Mr Duggan because they saw him get out of the cab holding a loaded gun.

Prosecutors said Mr Duggan, who was under police surveillance on August 4 and the previous day, had gone in the minicab to Leyton, east London, where he collected the gun in a shoebox from Mr Hutchinson-Foster, before continuing to Tottenham.

Mr Duggan's family said they were very concerned about the "unjustified and untested" prosecution's claim that he was holding a gun when he was shot.

The family was not represented at the trial which they argued meant police officers' evidence has not been challenged or tested.

They are also concerned that a retrial could lead to further delays to the inquest into Mr Duggan's death.

The family said that the inquest should consider two main questions - whether Mark Duggan was armed at the point at which he was shot and whether the use of lethal force was necessary.

Mr Duggan's brother Shaun Hall said: "It feels like this has been the Mark Duggan trial, except his family has had no representation and without being able to defend himself.

"People have been allowed to say things in court about Mark and what happened that day without being challenged. We heard things that we had never heard before."

Inquest co-director Deborah Coles said: "Nothing can satisfy family, community and public confidence other than a prompt, open and transparent jury inquest with the full involvement of Mark Duggan's family. Open justice is of fundamental importance in the case of a man shot dead by police officers."