Five police officers accused in connection with the fatal shooting of James Ashley denied the charges.

Ashley, 39, was in bed when he was shot dead on January 15, 1998, at Western Road, St Leonards, Hastings. At the Old Bailey today, one officer charged with murder and manslaughter and the others charged with misfeasance in public office were remanded to a date to be fixed to arrange a date for trial.

Police marksman PC Christopher Robert Sherwood, 32, is accused of murder and manslaughter. The others are Supt Christopher Simon Burton, 42; Acting Det Insp Kevin John French, 47; Det Insp Christopher Paul Siggs, 41; and PC Robert Keith Shoesmith, 38. None of their addresses have been given.

Burton is charged that between January 13 and 16, 1998, he misconducted

himself while acting as a police superintendent in police operations in

Hastings, by deliberately failing to make a true assessment of all the available intelligence and information, failing to ensure the police operations had the necessary information made available to them at the planning stage and failing to consider the risks involved in the armed police operation.

French is similarly charged, and in addition is alleged to have failed to ensure the appropriate processes and procedures had been followed.

Siggs is charged between the same dates with failing to make a true assessment, failing to ensure police operations had the necessary information made available to them, misrepresenting to the planners the intelligence received from his subordinates and failing to ensure appropriate processes and procedures had been followed.

Shoesmith is charged between January 22, 1997 and January 16, 1998. with failing to make a true assessment of all the available intelligence and failing to ensure the police operations had the necessary information made available to them during the planning stage. All the officers are on unconditional bail.

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