Coroner rejects plea to delay Mark Duggan inquest

The family of Mark Duggan today thanked a coroner for giving them “hope” that they will find out why he was killed by police.

His aunt Carole Duggan praised coroner Andrew Walker for refusing to delay the inquest: “We are relieved because we have been in limbo for so long. This puts a grip on the case.”

Last week, a jury at Snaresbrook crown court failed to reach a verdict in the trial of Kevin Hutchinson-Foster, 30, who denies selling or transferring a prohibited firearm to Mr Duggan.

Representing the CPS at North London coroner’s court today, Edward Brown QC asked Mr Walker to delay the inquest start date until after a re-trial.

Mr Walker refused, saying: “I am not minded to change the start of the inquest from January 28.”

Mr Duggan, 29, was shot dead in Tottenham in August 2011, sparking riots in London and elsewhere.