De Menezes shot in 'scrum' of armed officers

Updated 11.49 Tue Oct 09 2007

Keywords: Old Bailey, Jean Charles de Menezes

A police surveillance officer has described how through a "scrum" of armed colleagues he saw another officer shoot Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube station.

The officer, codenamed Geoff, told how a pistol was pointed at the head of the innocent Brazilian who had been mistaken for a suicide bomber.

The surveillance officer told the Old Bailey that it had been a "distressing" and "shocking" incident for passengers

He described how at least two SO19 specialist firearms officers had joined a "scrum" along with his surveillance colleague, Ivor, on board a train at Stockwell.

"I recognised a pistol. I literally saw one of the officers reach across the two males, and place the pistol to the head of Mr de Menezes.

"I heard an initial shot and within the space of a fraction of seconds heard several more shots fired," the officer said.

He was giving evidence at the trial of the Metropolitan Police on a health and safety charge where it was earlier alleged that a "catastrophic" series of failures in planning led to Mr de Menezes being killed.

The force denies the charge.