THE jury at the inquest into the death of a man armed with a crossbow who was shot dead by a police marksman has retired to consider its verdict.

Coroner Andrew Tweddle yesterday directed the inquest jury that they can only find that Keith Richards was lawfully killed or record an open verdict.

However, Mr Tweddle set the jury questions they must determine concerning the events of May 12, 2009, when Mr Richards died.

He had been remonstrating with police and firing a crossbow from a bedroom window at his home in Cheapside, Shildon, County Durham, that night.

Mr Tweddle said he did not believe the evidence supported a verdict of unlawful killing.

The jury must decide, on the balance of probabilities, if:

• Armed officers correctly identified themselves to Mr Richards as armed police.

• Durham Police gave the three police marksmen who faced Mr Richards adequate training to deal with someone with a crossbow.

• Mr Richards’ actions were deliberately intended to bring about a response from armed officers that could result in his death or serious injury.

• Mr Richards intended to kill or seriously harm an armed officer.

The jury heard that Mr Richards was heavily intoxicated and had been thrown out of a pub for being abusive hours before he died.

PC John Lamb, who was first on the scene that night, told the jury he thought Mr Richards had tried to shoot him in the back before he said “bring on the armed police”.

Other officers said they heard him threaten to take his life, or that of another officer, if armed police did not kill him.

However, Colin Hutchinson, a solicitor acting for Mr Richards’ family, accused the officer who fired the fatal shot of lying.