Man shot by police was holding air rifle - inquest

A man who was killed by armed police following a drunken row with a neighbour had fetched an air rifle before he was shot, an inquest has heard.

Graham Trinder, 57, sustained a single gunshot wound to the chest in the early hours of 8 November, 2020 on Summers Street in Swindon.

He had been drinking with neighbours when a dispute broke out shortly before 02:00 GMT between him and Martin Stewart, which resulted in Mr Trinder fetching an air rifle from his home, an inquest jury has been told.

Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court heard Mr Trinder, known as Tommy, was challenged twice by police to put down his weapon before he was shot.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, the court heard.

The court heard an unmarked Wiltshire Police car was first to arrive on the scene.

An officer, known only as AL/1 left the vehicle and told Mr Tinder to put down the .22 weapon.

In a series of written statements read to the court, neighbours of Mr Trinder described events leading up to and after the shooting.

"The police officer got out of his car, at which point Graham was outside his house with the air rifle pointing down," neighbour Matthew Mills said.

"The police officer was stood near the bonnet of his car and he removed his gun and then said 'armed police, please put your weapon down'. "

Mr Mills said Mr Trinder then swore at the officer, who responded by repeating the request to put the gun down.

"There was no talking to Graham and the police officer only gave him two options," Mr Mills said.

"He told him who he was, and then told him who he was again, and by the time the police officer finished his sentence he fired his gun."

Mr Stewart told the hearing he had drunk around four glasses of wine and five double whiskies and had a limited recollection of events.

"There was a brief pause and then I heard a noise that I would describe as a bang and lots of shouting afterwards," he said.

Mr Stewart's partner Zoe Mosteller told the hearing Mr Trinder was visibly drunk and had come out of his house with the air rifle.

"I heard an officer shout two or three times 'armed police, drop the weapon'. It was very loud and very clear," she said.

She said she could not remember Mr Trinder saying anything.

"I just remember him walking out of the house holding the weapon," she said.

"He wasn't necessarily pointing at anyone, but he was holding it approximately waist height, diagonally down towards the floor.

"There was no more than a couple of minutes between the police pulling up at the house, the warning being given and the shot."

A post-mortem examination found Mr Trinder died from a gunshot wound to the chest from a police issue Glock pistol, the court heard.

It also found he had blood alcohol level equivalent to four times the drink-drive limit and there were traces of recent use of cocaine.

The hearing continues.

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