Menezes officers return to duty

Mr Menezes was an electrician working in London

Two police firearms officers involved in the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes have been cleared to resume "full operational duties".

The officers were taken off firearms duty as a matter of routine while their conduct was being investigated.

But Scotland Yard has lifted the restrictions following the decision not to prosecute anyone over the shooting.

Brazilian Mr Menezes was killed by officers who mistook him for a suicide bomber on 22 July last year.

The 27-year-old electrician was shot seven times in the head and once in the shoulder on a Tube train at Stockwell Underground station in south London.

His death was investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which sent its findings to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

'Due consideration'

Although the CPS decided that no individual officers would be prosecuted, it announced in mid-July that the Met Police would be charged under health and safety laws.

This case has been considered in line with every case of this nature Metropolitan Police statement

The London force said that following the CPS decision, and after "due consideration of all available information", it had "lifted the current restrictions placed upon the two firearms officers".

"Both officers will now resume full operational duties," Scotland Yard said in a statement.

"This case has been considered in line with every case of this nature and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis."

Anniversary

The Justice4Jean campaign, which wants a public inquiry into the shooting, said the Menezes family was "very upset" at the reinstatement of the officers.

Last week, relatives held a vigil to mark one year since his death.

The London force has still to decide whether either of the officers - both members of the specialist CO19 firearms unit - should face disciplinary proceedings over the shooting.

If the police choose not to take any disciplinary action, the IPCC has the power to order a misconduct hearing.

And it emerged that other officers were still on restricted duties as a result of the Menezes case, but the police have not said how many.