A Metropolitan Police marksman who shot dead a man while preventing an attempted prisoner escape in 2015 will not face disciplinary action, a misconduct panel has confirmed.
The panel at Palestra House discontinued proceedings against the officer, identified only as W80, who killed Jermaine Baker near Wood Green Crown Court in North London.
The decision ends nearly ten years of legal proceedings that reached the Supreme Court.
The counter-terrorism specialist had carried firearms since 1998 and belonged to the elite tier of armed officers nationally.
He shot Baker at close range whilst the victim sat in a stolen vehicle's passenger seat, believing Baker was reaching for a weapon.
Panel chairman Chris McKay announced that detailed reasoning for the ruling would be provided within five working days.
An imitation gun was subsequently discovered in the car.
Crown prosecutors determined in 2017 that criminal charges were not warranted due to insufficient evidence.
The panel at Palestra House discontinued proceedings against the officer, identified only as W80, who killed Jermaine Baker near Wood Green Crown Court in North London
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However, the Independent Office for Police Conduct mandated misconduct proceedings.
This directive triggered protracted litigation between the IOPC and the officer, who received Metropolitan Police backing.
The Supreme Court sided with the IOPC in 2023, allowing the hearing to proceed.
Margaret Smith, Baker's mother, said she was "not surprised whatsoever" about the dismissal of the case.
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Crown prosecutors determined in 2017 that criminal charges were not warranted due to insufficient evidence
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"We have heard the evidence about what happened to Jermaine and we know that there was no justification for his death," she said.
The family stated they "never had any faith in this gross misconduct hearing, conducted by the Met Police".
Ms Smith explained that the numerous legal proceedings spanning a decade had hindered the family's ability to mourn properly.
"My family and I will remember Jermaine as the man we knew," she said.
Baker was shot at close range whilst the victim sat in a stolen vehicle's passenger seat, believing Baker was reaching for a weapon
|BAKER FAMILY
"The multiple legal processes we have had to endure over the last 10 years have prevented us grieving his loss."
She requested privacy for the family to grieve.
Paula Dodds, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, highlighted the extraordinary pressures facing armed officers in the capital, calling it "one of the world's toughest jobs".
She questioned the decade-long duration of proceedings.
Margaret Smith, Baker's mother, said she was "not surprised whatsoever" about the dismissal of the case
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Ms Dodds said: "How can it be right for a police officer protecting the public from dangerous criminals to have such a case hanging over them for a decade?"
IOPC director Amanda Rowe acknowledged the detrimental effects of protracted delays on public trust and officer welfare.
"This case highlights the complexities of the police accountability system, which leave it open to legal challenges and lengthy delays," she said.
The IOPC also expressed condolences to Baker's loved ones.