Yard chief 'trying to silence Paddick' with bid to block his testimony at De Menezes inquest

Brian Paddick, who has been scathing about his former boss since leaving the Yard, has been asked to give evidence at the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes.

The relatives of the 27-yearold Brazilian electrician, who was shot dead by firearms officers who mistook him for a terror suspect, want Mr Paddick to testify against the force at next month's hearing.

Sir Ian Blair, right, is accused of trying to stop Brian Paddick, left, giving evidence at the Jean Charles de Menezes inquest

Mr de Menezes's family believe he was killed unlawfully and they want individual officers to face criminal charges over the shooting.

If he is allowed to give evidence, Mr Paddick will address the police shoot-to-kill policy, codenamed Operation Kratos, which was set up to tackle suspected suicide bombers.

However, Sir Ian and his senior officers are said to believe the former Deputy Assistant Commissioner does not have enough experience to comment on the controversial policy.

They want the coroner to exclude him from the list of witnesses who will testify at the inquest.

The Metropolitan Police's extraordinary legal move raised the stakes for the inquest, which will have a crucial influence on whether Sir Ian can survive in office until his five-year contract finishes in January 2010.

Senior Yard sources believe that Sir Ian  -  never far from controversy in his three and half years in charge of Britain's biggest force  -  would be forced to step down if the inquest rules that Mr de Menezes was unlawfully killed.

Mr Paddick quit the Met in the wake of the shooting in Stockwell Tube station, South London, on July 22, 2005.

He claims that he was sidelined by Sir Ian because he disputed the Commissioner's version of the events on the day of the shooting.

An independent inquiry later found that Sir Ian had told the truth about what happened.

Mr de Menezes was shot dead by firearms officers who believed he was a suicide bomber.

He had just boarded a train at the station when he was pinned down and shot seven times in the head at point-blank range.

Met chiefs are expecting a barrage of criticism at the inquest, which starts at the Oval cricket ground on September 22.

The court will hear evidence for the first time from the two firearms officers who shot Mr de Menezes.

Last year the Met was convicted at the Old Bailey on one general health and safety count over the shooting.

Scotland Yard said yesterday: 'Although no formal notification has yet been given to the coroner, the Met are proposing to raise with the coroner the relevance and scope of any evidence Mr Paddick can give to the inquest in relation to the death of Jean Charles de Menezes.

'The final decision as to which witnesses are appropriate for the inquest remains with the coroner.'

The spokesman added that, at present, Sir Ian is not on the list of witnesses.

Earlier this year, Mr Paddick  -  who until his retirement was Britain's highest ranking gay officer  -  was the unsuccessful LibDem candidate for London Mayor.