A career criminal wanted for the brutal murder of a pensioner in his own home was drunk when police shot him dead, an inquest has heard.

William Smith was on the run following the killing of Roy Blackman at his home in Biddenden during a robbery which saw a safe containing anywhere up to £250,000 in cash stolen.

An inquest into the 36-year-old builder's fatal shooting was told how he had been "high on drugs" when the 73-year-old victim was viciously beaten to death during the bungalow burglary in March 2016.

Despite being arrested over the murder, Smith, who lived in Golford near Cranbrook with wife Nancy and their children, was later released on bail with an electronic tag to monitor his whereabouts.

Addressing the inquest jury of eleven people this morning, counsel for the inquest, Christopher Sutton-Mattocks QC, explained that police were hunting "a wanted man" in connection with the murder when he was fatally hit with three rounds to the head and chest on land belonging to his father-in-law.

"He was shot dead by officers of Kent Police in May 2016 near Goudhurst," he said. "He was at the time he was shot being sought by the police having breached bail by removing an electronic tag."

The inquest, which is being held at County Hall in Maidstone and is expected to last five weeks, heard from Mr Sutton-Mattocks that Smith was a "career criminal with a drug habit" who officers believed would try "to shoot himself if approached by police".

Describing the police operation in the days leading up to the shooting on May 1, Mr Sutton-Mattocks told the jury how Smith was believed "to have in his possession a handgun which he concealed in his trousers".

"You will be hearing a little bit more about this handgun in due course," he told the jury, explaining how his opening remarks in court today were simply an outline of the events prior to the evidence they will hear given by witnesses in the coming days and weeks.

In the days leading up to Smith's killing, armed plain-clothes officers conducted a series of operations at locations including Tenterden and Marden, but were unable to apprehend the fugitive.

Intelligence then linked the wanted man to an orchard at Goudhurst on land owned by his father-in-law, and officers were tasked with drawing up a plan to encircle Smith and return him to custody.

The inquest was played a recording of a police briefing which began at 10.33am on May 1. During the meeting an officer is heard explaining how it was believed Smith, who had a history of using drugs including cocaine, MDMA and ketamine, might harm himself rather than be arrested by police.

"I have got to shave, the police are here..."

Before the end of the short briefing, which concluded at 10.41am, officers are asked if they understand firearms should only be used as a last resort. "Yes sir," they reply in unison.

Later that day at 8.24pm, just minutes after sunset, an operation involving armed police and unarmed surveillance officers began at the orchard in Goudhurst.

Smith was seen by officers out in the open, talking on a mobile phone, but he spotted police and retreated to a shed on the land. "I have got to shave, the police are here," he is said to have told the person on the other end of the line.

Commanding officers then approved a "limited entry" of the building, which saw the four armed officers open a door to gain sight of what was inside - at which point they say they saw what they believed to be the barrel of a shotgun pointing from behind an upturned chair or sofa.

One of the armed officers - identified only as Officer T - then launched a stun grenade into the building and they retreated. Four shots were then fired, one hitting Smith above the left eye and two hitting him in the chest.

Despite attempts to resuscitate the suspect, he was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics at 9.10pm. A post mortem toxicology report found he had blood alcohol levels almost three times the legal drink driving limit.

"What transpired from the moment police officers drove down that lane and reached the area Mr Smith was in will be subject of considerable dispute," Mr Sutton-Mattocks explained to the jury.

"When I set out the events that occurred, bear in mind that these are the accounts of the officers involved."

The inquest had earlier been told how DNA evidence had linked Smith to a number of violent, armed burglaries in the months leading up to his death.

One of these was the robbery of clay pigeon shooting champion George Digweed MBE, who was beaten by four balaclava-clad men who broke into his home in Ewhurst Lane, Northiam, in February 2016.

Intruders armed with a hammer smashed their way into the property where Mr Digweed lived with his wife, demanding properties and valuables.

The couple then had their hands bound with duct tape, and Mr Digweed was struck on the head and threatened with a Taser, before being forced to open his safe. As well as thousands of pounds in cash, the robbers took two shotguns and a Toyota Hilux was also stolen.

Smith's DNA was found on the hammer used in the burglary, while the DNA of mechanic Mark Love was discovered on the Taser. Love was later convicted of both the murder of Roy Blackman and the Digweed robbery.

One of the shotguns stolen during the Northiam break-in was later found near to Smith following his death at the hands of the police in Goudhurst, while the barrel of the second was also recovered at the scene.

Leslie Thomas QC, counsel for Smith's family, read to the court a short statement from his widow Nancy, who was in the council chamber this afternoon along with his father.

"He was innocent until proven guilty..."

"I was married to Bill for 17 years since July 3, 1999. We have four children, they are now 20, 19, 16 and 11. Bill was a loving and supportive father to our children, and we all miss him so much.

"Coming to terms with his death is a daily struggle.

"I know that the offences for which he was accused are extremely serious, but like everyone else in this country he was innocent until proven guilty."

Following a summary of the evidence which has been presented as uncontested by counsel representing all interested parties, the coroner, Her Honour Judge Alexia Durran, restated to the jury that "an inquest is not a trial".

The evidence of Smith's often-violent past, she said, was being presented to the hearing as context for the events leading up to his death and the actions of the police involved.

Tomorrow the inquest is expected to hear evidence from former Kent Police Inspector Karl Thomas, who has since left the force and serves with police in Ontario, Canada. He will give his testimony of his involvement in the planning of the operation via video link from his new home.

The inquest was adjourned until the morning.

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