Yassar Yaqub inquest jury finds he was lawfully killed

The hearing at Leeds Crown Court concluded this afternoon after six weeks of evidence.

Yassar Yaqub, 28, was killed after officers stopped a vehicle on a slip road of the M62 in January 2017.

Mr Yaqub was the front-seat passenger in one of two cars travelling in convoy on the M62 when four unmarked police vehicles surrounded them at junction 24 in Huddersfield.

The inquest heard evidence from a West Yorkshire Police officer, referred to as D4 to protect his identity.

The officer confirmed he had been appointed the “strategic firearms commander” of a police operation relating to Mr Yaqub on October 31, 2016 – two months before he was stopped by armed officers on the M62 slip road and shot.

Officer D4 said Operation Fillview was set up in response to intelligence showing Mr Yaqub and another man had been “making threats” to a man called Yasser Adalat.

He confirmed he had granted a “standing authority” for deploying firearms officers in relation to the operation.

A report of the “gold meeting” between officers on October 31 shown to jurors said: “Intelligence indicates that Yassar Yaqub intends to cause serious harm to Yasser Adalat.”

Another document shown to the jury said: “Recent intelligence shows that Yaqub is a highly active criminal.”

The officer told jurors he “would have been failing in my duty not to put a plan in place” based on the intelligence, and said Mr Adalat was wanted by police for an unrelated matter.

He said: “We were actively trying to arrest the potential victim, Yasser Adalat, but we couldn’t find that individual so couldn’t put that mitigating action in place.”

The armed officer who fatally shot Mr Yaqub told the inquest that a handgun was pointed at him before he fired.

The West Yorkshire Police officer, known as V39 to protect his identity, told the inquest he had “feared for my life and the life of my colleagues” when he shot Mr Yaqub.

V39 said Mr Yaqub had ignored his command to “show me your hands”, and instead crouched down before bringing a handgun over the dashboard.

The officer told the inquest he had “no other alternative” but to discharge his firearm, and said he “would have been shot” otherwise.

The driver of the Audi Mr Yaqub was travelling in, Mohsin Amin, was jailed for 18 years in 2018 for firearms offences linked to the incident.

Steve Noonan, the Independent Office for Police Conduct's (IOPC) Director of Major Investigations, said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of Yassar Yaqub, as well as all those affected by his death, at this difficult time.

“It is vital that any use of lethal force by police is thoroughly and independently scrutinised. Our independent investigation was comprehensive and detailed, helping provide clarity on the events of January 2, 2017.

“At no stage during the investigation did the evidence indicate that any officer may have committed a criminal offence or breached the standards of professional behaviour.

“The officer who fired the shots gave a clear and credible account, which was strongly supported by other evidence, explaining the use of force to IOPC investigators.

"Based on the available information, we considered the use of force to be necessary and reasonable in the circumstances as he genuinely and reasonably believed them to be.

“We previously published our recommendations, which were accepted by West Yorkshire Police, based on the findings of this investigation.

"However, there was no indication the issues we identified had any direct impact on the outcome of the police operation.

“Our work was shared with the coroner and included among the evidence used by the jury in reaching their conclusion, which is consistent with our own findings. I am grateful to them for their careful consideration of this case.

“I would like to once again offer our sincere condolences to Mr Yaqub’s loved ones.”

Mr Yaqub’s father, Mohammed Yaqub, said the jury’s conclusion is “disappointing for the family”.

Mr Yaqub snr said in a statement issued after the inquest that the threat posed by his son had been “distorted and exaggerated”.

He said: “He was not the serious criminal alleged by them. He was kindhearted and loved his family.

“His smile lit up every room. He was well respected in the community, and never out of employment.

“Although he should not be, as he is not here to defend himself, it has felt like Yassar has been on trial in this inquest.”

Mr Yaqub snr said: “Yassar would not have challenged the police or produced a weapon when they stopped the car on the M62. He was young and wanted to live, and be a good father to his children and take care of us in our old age.

“If he had known that he was surrounded by the police, he would have surrendered. We cannot find a single example of someone who is subject to a hard stop ever firing back”.

He said: “He was killed for no good reason. My family and I were cruelly robbed of Yassar. The chance to say our last words was missed.”

Mr Yaqub snr said his family is considering whether to challenge the decision by the coroner, Judge Guy Kearl KC, not to allow the jury to consider a conclusion of unlawful killing.