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Mark Duggan shooting: taxi driver tells court how police surrounded cab Mark Duggan shooting: taxi driver tells court how police surrounded cab
(4 days later)
The taxi driver who drove the minicab that Mark Duggan was travelling in just before he was shot dead by police marksmen told a court he would never be able to wipe the incident from his mind.The taxi driver who drove the minicab that Mark Duggan was travelling in just before he was shot dead by police marksmen told a court he would never be able to wipe the incident from his mind.
Giving evidence in the trial of Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, who is accused of providing Duggan with a handgun minutes before he was killed on 4 August last year, the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said his black cab was surrounded by armed police as it travelled in Tottenham, north London, before his passenger fled the taxi and was shot.Giving evidence in the trial of Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, who is accused of providing Duggan with a handgun minutes before he was killed on 4 August last year, the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said his black cab was surrounded by armed police as it travelled in Tottenham, north London, before his passenger fled the taxi and was shot.
He had collected Duggan from Hoxton, east London, and taken him to an address in Leyton where Duggan had collected a box from another man, jurors at Snaresbrook crown court in east London heard.He had collected Duggan from Hoxton, east London, and taken him to an address in Leyton where Duggan had collected a box from another man, jurors at Snaresbrook crown court in east London heard.
The prosecution claims Duggan collected the gun in a shoebox from Hutchinson-Foster before continuing to Tottenham where he was stopped by police.The prosecution claims Duggan collected the gun in a shoebox from Hutchinson-Foster before continuing to Tottenham where he was stopped by police.
Asked by prosecutor Edward Brown QC if he could remember the events clearly, the taxi driver said: "I've not forgotten anything. It was such an incident that a person cannot forget about these things, even at night."Asked by prosecutor Edward Brown QC if he could remember the events clearly, the taxi driver said: "I've not forgotten anything. It was such an incident that a person cannot forget about these things, even at night."
The cab driver, who spoke Punjabi translated into English by an interpreter, was asked to give his account of the shooting of Duggan, 29, whose death sparked widespread riots last year. He said he had stopped at traffic lights on Ferry Lane, and they had then turned green. He said: "When I moved forward a little bit I noticed that vehicles were approaching at very high speed from the rear.The cab driver, who spoke Punjabi translated into English by an interpreter, was asked to give his account of the shooting of Duggan, 29, whose death sparked widespread riots last year. He said he had stopped at traffic lights on Ferry Lane, and they had then turned green. He said: "When I moved forward a little bit I noticed that vehicles were approaching at very high speed from the rear.
"A car of black colour was in front, it approached me in a really dangerous way and I moved to give it way and I moved my car towards the footpath. It felt as if it was going to collide with me."A car of black colour was in front, it approached me in a really dangerous way and I moved to give it way and I moved my car towards the footpath. It felt as if it was going to collide with me.
"I then stopped my car instantly before applying the brakes to it. Because I have all this experience I managed to stop the car in time. At that same time another car came and stopped on my right hand side and another one stopped behind me, again at the same time."I then stopped my car instantly before applying the brakes to it. Because I have all this experience I managed to stop the car in time. At that same time another car came and stopped on my right hand side and another one stopped behind me, again at the same time.
"The car that had stopped – men got out of it very quickly who were carrying guns in their hands. Then I heard the sound of my rear door opening. I saw that Mark Duggan got out and ran. At the same time, I heard firing from the front. I saw shots strike Mark Duggan. He fell to the ground."The car that had stopped – men got out of it very quickly who were carrying guns in their hands. Then I heard the sound of my rear door opening. I saw that Mark Duggan got out and ran. At the same time, I heard firing from the front. I saw shots strike Mark Duggan. He fell to the ground.
"At the same time a man came and he opened my door. Very angrily he pulled me out by my arm and then he dropped me or knelt me down on the ground by the rear tyres of the car.""At the same time a man came and he opened my door. Very angrily he pulled me out by my arm and then he dropped me or knelt me down on the ground by the rear tyres of the car."
Hutchinson-Foster, 30, of no fixed abode, is charged with "selling or transferring a prohibited firearm" to Duggan between 28 July and 5 August last year. He denies passing the modified BBM Bruni Model 92 handgun to Duggan, contrary to the Firearms Act 1968.Hutchinson-Foster, 30, of no fixed abode, is charged with "selling or transferring a prohibited firearm" to Duggan between 28 July and 5 August last year. He denies passing the modified BBM Bruni Model 92 handgun to Duggan, contrary to the Firearms Act 1968.
Earlier, the firearms officer who allegedly found the gun told the court he discovered it about "five metres away" from where he was shot dead.Earlier, the firearms officer who allegedly found the gun told the court he discovered it about "five metres away" from where he was shot dead.
The officer, known as R31, said he jumped out of his unmarked police car to try to stop Duggan escaping, only "about a second" before one of his colleagues on the firearms team opened fire. He later found the gun near bushes on the other side of some railings "perhaps the length of a car" away from where Mr Duggan lay.The officer, known as R31, said he jumped out of his unmarked police car to try to stop Duggan escaping, only "about a second" before one of his colleagues on the firearms team opened fire. He later found the gun near bushes on the other side of some railings "perhaps the length of a car" away from where Mr Duggan lay.
"I was still firmly convinced that he was trying to escape because of the direction that he was moving. In my experience of people who react before, they either act like rabbits and freeze in the headlights or they try and escape and I assumed it was the former.""I was still firmly convinced that he was trying to escape because of the direction that he was moving. In my experience of people who react before, they either act like rabbits and freeze in the headlights or they try and escape and I assumed it was the former."
The court previously heard that Duggan was under police surveillance on 4 August, as well as on the previous day.The court previously heard that Duggan was under police surveillance on 4 August, as well as on the previous day.
The trial was adjourned.The trial was adjourned.
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