GMP admits health and safety breach over fatal training incident
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has pleaded guilty to a health and safety breach after being charged over an incident which saw an officer killed by during a training exercise.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has pleaded guilty to a health and safety breach after being charged over an incident which saw an officer killed by during a training exercise.
Ian Terry, a 32-year-old police constable and father of two from Burnley, was shot by a blank round during a firearms exercise in a disused warehouse in Newton Heath on June 9, 2008.
An inquest found that the death of PC Terry, who was carrying an unloaded handgun and not wearing body armour during an exercise where he played the role of a fleeing criminal, had been caused by failures in the planning and safety measures during the training programme.
Two unnamed GMP officers have denied two counts of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, and will face trial at Manchester Crown Court on June 10. Sir Peter Fahy, who became chief constable at GMP shortly after the incident, pleaded guilty on the forces behalf at Liverpool Crown Court, and the force will face sentencing in March.
A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who brought a case forward after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) felt there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges, welcomed GMPs plea.
They said: “Ian`s death has caused his family considerable suffering and grief, and today marks a significant milestone in securing justice for them and for Ian.”