THE man shot dead by police on the M62 at Ainley Top had himself been accused of another shooting but was acquitted.

Mohammed Yassar Yaqub, 21 at the time he was in court, was accused of attempting to murder two men in Birkby in September, 2009.

It was claimed Mr Yaqub had been one of the gunmen who opened fire on a car being driven along Birkby Hall Road.

A trial Bradford Crown Court heard that after the incident the damaged Vauxhall Corsa was found to have a large hole in the front bonnet. Around 140 pellets from a shotgun had also struck the vehicle.

But Judge Geoffrey Marson QC threw out the prosecution case against Mr Yaqub.

Judge Marson was asked to review “inconsistencies” in the evidence of a witness and stressed that the case was an identification one and there was a need for special caution.

He told the court: “I regard his evidence as being dangerous and it cannot safely, in my view, be left to the jury even if there is some evidence capable of supporting his identification.”

After discharging the jury the judge formally recorded not guilty verdicts on the two charges of attempted murder and one of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life which Yaqub had denied.

Video Loading