A RETIRED senior police officer alleged to have misled a public inquiry into the fatal shooting of an unarmed Bolton man has made a bid to have misconduct proceedings against him thrown out.

Anthony Grainger, aged 36, was shot by armed police in a car park in in Culcheth, Cheshire, in March 2012.

Steven Heywood, who retired from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in October 2018, is alleged to have breached force standards of honesty and integrity when giving evidence at a public inquiry into the death of Mr Grainger.

A gross misconduct hearing yesterday heard Mr Heywood admitted a firearms log from the days leading up to the shooting was completed retrospectively ­— and he did not initially tell the inquiry he had not filled it in on the date shown.

Mr Heywood's barrister, John Beggs QC, called for the misconduct proceedings to be stayed as he said the force had breached regulations by delaying the hearing.

He said: "There really is, to quote that rather unpleasant vernacular, an omnishambles going on.

"It's unfair to Mr Heywood, who gave exemplary service to the public, but it is also unfair to other participants and unfair to the public."

Gerry Boyle QC, representing GMP, said Mr Heywood's firearms log, which was used in evidence in the 2017 public inquiry, contained inaccurate information about Mr Grainger's previous convictions.

He said it was asserted that entries in the log were made to "misrepresent" the information available at the time and to "retrospectively justify" Mr Heywood's decision to authorise a firearms operation on March 1 2012.

He said: "Mr Heywood admits that he did not, on March 1 2017, tell the inquiry that entries in his log were retrospective.

"He told the inquiry this during closed session on March 2 2017."

Mr Boyle asked for the misconduct hearing to be adjourned so work could be done on lifting redactions on evidence heard during closed session.

But Mr Beggs said the evidence would have to remain redacted under law and criticised the delay by GMP in bringing the case and in its application for adjournment, made on Friday afternoon.

He said: "You could say this isn't just unacceptable, this isn't just inexcusable, you could say this is actually arrogant."

He said the force had breached regulations by not acting as soon as possible after finding Mr Heywood had a case to answer in June 2018.

Father-of-two Mr Grainger was shot through the windscreen of a stolen Audi on March 3 2012.

Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins apologised to Mr Grainger's family last year after the public inquiry found "serious deficiencies" in the planning and conduct of the operation by senior officers.

Mr Heywood was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) reviewed his evidence and found he may have committed a criminal offence.

But, in November 2018 the CPS decided not to charge him.

The misconduct hearing, which was held online, was adjourned to this morning, when the panel will hear more legal submissions.

Steven Heywood, who retired from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in October 2018, is alleged to have breached force standards of honesty and integrity when giving evidence at a public inquiry into the death of Anthony Grainger, 36, who was shot by a firearms officer in a car park in Culcheth, Cheshire, in March 2012.

A gross misconduct hearing on Monday heard Mr Heywood admitted a firearms log from the days leading up to the shooting was completed retrospectively and he did not initially tell the inquiry he had not filled it in on the date shown.

Mr Heywood's barrister, John Beggs QC, called for the misconduct proceedings to be stayed as he said the force had breached regulations by delaying the hearing.

He said: "There really is, to quote that rather unpleasant vernacular, an omnishambles going on.

"It's unfair to Mr Heywood, who gave exemplary service to the public, but it is also unfair to other participants and unfair to the public."

Gerry Boyle QC, representing GMP, said Mr Heywood's firearms log, which was used in evidence in the 2017 public inquiry, contained inaccurate information about Mr Grainger's previous convictions.

He said it was asserted that entries in the log were made to "misrepresent" the information available at the time and to "retrospectively justify" Mr Heywood's decision to authorise a firearms operation on March 1 2012.

He said: "Mr Heywood admits that he did not, on March 1 2017, tell the inquiry that entries in his log were retrospective.

"He told the inquiry this during closed session on March 2 2017."

Mr Boyle asked for the misconduct hearing to be adjourned so work could be done on lifting redactions on evidence heard during closed session.

But Mr Beggs said the evidence would have to remain redacted under law and criticised the delay by GMP in bringing the case and in its application for adjournment, made on Friday afternoon.

He said: "You could say this isn't just unacceptable, this isn't just inexcusable, you could say this is actually arrogant."

He said the force had breached regulations by not acting as soon as possible after finding Mr Heywood had a case to answer in June 2018.

Father-of-two Mr Grainger was unarmed when he was shot through the windscreen of a stolen Audi on March 3 2012.

Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins apologised to Mr Grainger's family last year after the public inquiry found "serious deficiencies" in the planning and conduct of the operation by senior officers.

Mr Heywood was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) reviewed his evidence and found he may have committed a criminal offence.

But, in November 2018 the CPS decided not to charge him.

The misconduct hearing, which was held online, was adjourned to Tuesday morning, when the panel will hear more legal submissions.