Police Chief referred to CPS over fatal shooting probe evidence

Anthony Grainger was fatally shot by a firearms officer in 2012 Credit: ITV Granada Reports

An assistant chief constable has been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service over evidence he gave to a public inquiry, the police watchdog has said.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said a report had been referred to the CPS after an investigation into evidence given by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Assistant Chief Constable Steven Heywood at a public inquiry into the death of Anthony Grainger, who was fatally shot by a firearms officer in 2012.

An IOPC spokesman said:

The IOPC also investigated Detective Chief Inspector Robert Cousen, who gave evidence to the inquiry as senior investigating officer, but the spokesman said there was no indication Mr Cousen had committed a criminal offence.

The watchdog will consider publishing the findings of its investigations following the publication of the findings of the inquiry and the conclusion of any related proceedings.

The public inquiry into the death of Mr Grainger, 36, from Bolton, began in January last year and heard officers relied on out-of-date intelligence and inaccurate briefings.

The father-of-two was shot by a firearms officer through the windscreen of a stolen Audi in a car park in Culcheth, Cheshire, on March 3 2012.

A GMP spokesman said: