The first day of the inquest into the death of Tulse Hill’s Jean Charles de Menezes has ended.

Mr de Menezes, a Brazilian electrician was shot dead by armed police at Stockwell Tube station at 10.06am on July 21, 2005.

Officers had mistaken Mr de Menezes for on-the run suicide bomber Hussain Osman and shot him dead on a train while it was stationary on platform two.

Coroner Sir Michael Wright started proceedings, expected to last three months, by outlining the inquest’s role – “to search for the truth”.

Because of the huge public interest in the case the inquest is being held in the John Major conference room at the Oval Cricket Ground.

Sir Wright said: “It must be stated at the outset of this inquest that Mr Menezes was in no way associated with bombs, explosive devices or any form of terrorism.

“That statement, in a nutshell, is the fastest possible summary into the matter of this inquest.

“There are four questions we are here to answer. Who, where and when he died – they will all be easy. The fourth question is a much wider one and that is the question of how Mr Menezes came by his death.

“There is no prosecution, no defence, just a search for the truth.”

Speaking this afternoon Sir Wright said: “It does appear that by the time Mr Menzes had actually entered the underground system no member of the police had positively identified him as Osman.”

He added that officers at Scotland Yard had assumed he had been positively identified as Osman and ordered him stopped.

Sir Wright said: “Mr Menzes was killed instantly he can hardly have had any opportunity to appreciate what was happening.”

Tomorrow the jury is expected to be accompanied by Sir Wright as they retrace the route Mr de Menezes took from his home in Scotia Road to Stockwell station.

On Wednesday an investigator from the Independent Police Complaints Commission is expected to give evidence.