IPCC 'will brief' Menezes family

Mr Menezes was killed after being mistaken for a suicide bomber

Jean Charles de Menezes' family will be briefed on the report into his death, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said.

But IPCC chairman Nick Hardwick insisted the full report could not be shown to them because it may jeopardise potential criminal proceedings.

Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot dead after being mistaken for a bomber last July at Stockwell Tube station in London.

The family demanded to see the report after it was apparently leaked.

The News of the World claimed the IPCC report says some of the police evidence about his death was falsely written.

I do understand the frustration of the family that we haven't shown the report to them, and if I were in their shoes I would feel exactly the same Nick Hardwick IPCC Chairman

But Mr Hardwick told Lambeth's Community Police Consultative Group on Tuesday they should not believe everything they read in the press.

He told the meeting: "I do understand the frustration of the family that we haven't shown the report to them, and if I were in their shoes I would feel exactly the same.

"But what we have said is we are prepared to give them a very full and detailed briefing on the report."

He added he was waiting to hear back from the family to arrange a date for the briefing to take place.

Full access

Mr Hardwick said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had said they would make a decision about whether any criminal charges will be bought by Easter.

He also told the meeting that he was determined that the investigation into Mr de Menezes death should not be long and drawn out.

When asked if the IPCC's jurisdiction in the probe extended to officers from other agencies outside of the police, Mr Hardwick said he had been given full access to those involved in the shooting.

But he said he did not have the power to refer staff who did not work for the police to the CPS.