POLICE CHIEF'S APOLOGY OVER KILLING

The family of an unarmed man who was shot dead by police during a bungled
drugs raid is to get an apology from Sussex Police.

The chief constable of the force, Ken Jones, is due to visit victim James
Ashley's family on Merseyside this week - more than five years after the
killing.

Mr Ashley was in bed and unarmed when officers burst into his flat in
Sussex in January 1998 and shot him at point blank range.

An investigation revealed police guidelines had not been followed during
the raid, and former chief constable Paul Whitehouse was later forced to
resign over the inquiry.

Mr Ashley, 39, was shot, in front of his girlfriend - at the flat in St
Leonards - because incorrect intelligence reports suggested he might be armed.

There have been calls for a public inquiry in to the incident, although
this has not taken place.

Officers Cleared

However, a report by the Police Complaints Authority earlier this year,
following Mr Ashley's death, recommended more non-lethal weapons like stun
guns and water cannons should be used by officers.

Mr Whitehouse resigned in June 2001, following the acquittal of police
marksman Chris Sherwood, who shot Mr Ashley, telling the Old Bailey in May
that year, that he had acted in self defence.

The judge, Mrs Justice Rafferty, agreed there was no evidence to suggest he
had not acted in self defence, directed the court to clear Mr Sherwood.

Four other officers were also cleared of misconduct and neglect of duty,
after the prosecution offered no evidence in two separate trials.

Mr Ashley's family began writing to the Sussex force demanding an apology
as far back as 1998.