Family's fury as police officers who shot dead hero dad are NOT suspended

Marcus Meade's parent has deed retired astatine West Mercia Police's determination to let the firearms officers backmost to work conscionable weeks aft they changeable the dada successful his location successful Redditch, Worcestershire

Grieving parents are furious arsenic 2 firearms officers who changeable dormant their lad successful his ain location person returned to work - without a suspension.

Marcus Meade, 39, was Tasered and changeable after a stand-off with constabulary astatine the code connected Christmas Eve. He had been experiencing intelligence wellness challenges but, contempt being unsocial successful the spot successful Redditch, Worcestershire, astatine the time, the dada was gunned by the firearms officers.

But the Mirror has recovered these officers person not been suspended and, little than 2 months aft the tragedy, person returned to duties. Marcus' household is mortified astatine the decision, which they accidental condones the actions.

Deborah Freckleton, Marcus’s mother, said: "So it was alright to termination my son? It is the constabulary wherefore we are having to hide Marcus." The man's father, Anthony Meade, said: "The officers person had clip to bespeak and person support, and we are near with readying a funeral."

Deborah and Anthony, who discovered their lad had died aft speechmaking reports connected societal media and proceeding the atrocious quality connected the grapevine, have begged for answers successful the weeks since the passing.

But Richard Cooper, impermanent main constable for West Mercia Police, informed the household and its typical of his determination successful correspondence this week. In it, helium wrote: "I tin corroborate that the officers progressive person not been suspended and, aft a play of reflection, person returned to duty."

Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo MBE, a household friend, told the media this telephone helium felt the officers progressive should person been suspended, peculiarly arsenic West Mercia Police has reported the incidental to the watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The assemblage person said: "To accidental the household are disappointed is an understatement. Clearly, to guarantee an orderly transparent and afloat cooperative process with the IOPC, it would person been prudent to region the serviceman who fired the fatal changeable from duty, arsenic questions are being raised astir the full incident. What connection does this truly nonstop to the community?"

Dad-of-two Marcus, primitively from Ladywood, Birmingham, was hailed a leader aft helium had apprehended a teenage girl's killer. The household man, on with different have-a-go heroes, was recognised for his bravery with an grant successful 2003 aft helium swooped to snag Inderjit Kainth. Kainth had stabbed Rosie Ross, 16, successful a random onslaught successful Birmingham metropolis centre.

Speaking previously, Deborah vowed to proceed to observe Marcus' bequest and combat for justice. She said: "I privation to cognize what happened to my son, I privation to cognize wherefore they thought it was good to bash what they did to my son. I privation answers and I privation justness for my son."

Speaking to the Mirror astir T/Chief Cons Cooper's decision, West Mercia Police said it had adhered to "regulations and policies" successful reaching a call. The unit added it intends to "ensure Marcus’ household are fixed the answers that they rightly privation and deserve."

A spokesperson said: "The officers progressive person not been suspended and, aft a play of reflection, person returned to duty. In a gravely superior incidental specified arsenic this, the suspension of constabulary officers is simply a important decision. It is simply a process guided by regulations and policies, which we person adhered to. The determination is regularly reviewed, arsenic the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) probe progresses, to guarantee it remains due and proportionate.

"We proceed to cooperate afloat and unreservedly with the autarkic probe being carried retired by the IOPC to guarantee that Marcus’ household are fixed the answers that they rightly privation and deserve."