The Met Police has been found guilty of breaking health and safety laws over the fatal shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.

Mr Menezes, who lived in Herne Hill, was shot at Stockwell Tube station after being mistaken for suicide bomber, Hussain Osman in July 2005.

An Old Bailey jury decided the force unnecessarily put the public at risk when they chased the 27-year-old electrician across the city.

The force was tried for failing to protect the public from risks posed by a suspected suicide bomber on the loose after prosecutors said no individual officer could be blamed.

The Met denied the allegation, saying that there was no case for it to answer.

The jury said police chief Cressida Dick, who led the operation, bore "no personal culpability".

The Met faces a potentially unlimited fine over the blunder.

Met Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, said: "The death of Jean Charles de Menezes was a tragedy. He was an innocent man.

The Metropolitan Police Service has apologised to the family and friends of Mr de Menezes many times in the past. Once more, I express my deep regrets for his death.

"It is important to remember that no police officer set out that day to shoot an innocent man.

"I am certain that this death was the culmination of actions by many hands, all of whom were doing their best to handle the terrible threat facing London on that day - a race against time to find the failed suicide bombers of the day before."

He added that it was concern over the implications of applying health and safety legislation to such an operation which led the Met Police to plead not guilty.

To read Sir Ian Blair's statement in full click here