Jury at London Bridge attackers’ inquest told ‘no question of attributing blame’
Jurors considering the deaths of the London Bridge and Borough Market attackers have been told there is “no question of attributing blame” as the inquest got under way.
Five women and six men were sworn in on Monday at the Old Bailey for the inquest into the deaths of Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22.
On the night of June 3 2017, the three men ploughed into pedestrians on London Bridge in a van before running amok around Borough Market with knives and fake suicide belts, killing eight people and injuring 48 more.
Two police officers and a Spanish man were stabbed as they tried to stop the rampage, jurors were told.
Butt, Redouane and Zaghba were in the process of attacking another member of the public when they were confronted by police marksmen and shot dead, the court heard.
Chief Coroner Mark Lucraft QC said the attack lasted 10 minutes but the inquest would focus on the events around Stoney Street and Middle Road immediately before the shooting.
In his opening remarks, Mr Lucraft said: “There is no question of attributing blame. An inquest is simply a way of establishing facts.”
He said jurors would have to answer four questions – who were the deceased, when and where did they die, and how they came by their deaths.
Mr Lucraft told jurors: “You are not allowed to express an opinion on any other matters. You may not determine any criminal liability or question of civil liability.”
He said that during the course of the next three weeks, jurors would view graphic images of the attack and hear from the armed officers, who had been granted anonymity.
The jury would also have the chance to view the scene of the shooting in Borough Market on July 3.
Jurors were told a separate inquest had concluded on Friday into the deaths of the victims, Xavier Thomas, 45, Chrissy Archibald, 30, Sara Zelenak, 21, James McMullan, 32, Kirsty Boden, 28, Alexandre Pigeard, 26, Sebastien Belanger, 36, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39.
