Duggan was 'absolutely 100%' holding a gun says officer

The police officer who shot Mark Duggan has been giving evidence in the trial of Kevin Hutchinson-Foster.

Hutchinson-Foster is the man accused of providing Mr Duggan with a handgun minutes before police shot him on August 4 last year.

The shooting sparked riots across London.

The police marksman - identified only as V53 - gave his account of what happened.

He apologised to the jury for using four-letter language about the killing.

The marksman was recalling his thoughts about the moment he realised Duggan was holding a gun.

The full story below from Nick Thatcher.

Duggan, 29, was "absolutely 100%" holding a handgun, Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London heard.

The officer told the trial of Hutchinson-Foster that he fired two bullets at him.

The officer said the following thoughts were running through his mind:

The marksman, who gave evidence from behind a screen, has been a police officer for more than 15 years, an authorised firearms officer since 2003, and with CO19 since 2005.

He has been working with covert armed response vehicles since 2009, and said he has been involved in "hundreds" of police firearms operations, both spontaneous and planned.

Hutchinson-Foster is on trial accused of passing the gun to Duggan that same day.

The 30-year-old, of no fixed abode, is charged with "selling or transferring a prohibited firearm" to Mr Duggan between July 28 and August 5 2011.

He denies passing the modified BBM Bruni Model 92 handgun to Mr Duggan, contrary to the Firearms Act 1968.