A murder suspect was aiming a shotgun at two officers when he was fatally shot during a planned operation, the police watchdog has concluded.

William "Curly Bill" Smith received four gunshot wounds to the head and chest when he was cornered by armed police in Goudhurst in May 2016, having been linked to the murder of 73-year-old Roy Blackman months earlier.

A pre-inquest review was held last week to deal with legal matters and the disclosure of evidence ahead of a full hearing.

Leslie Thomas QC is representing Smith’s family. He said no fingerprints were found on the weapon which Smith, a father of four, was allegedly holding when he was shot.

The inquest, likely to take place in mid-2018 with a jury, is set to hear from Kent Police firearms officers and an independent firearms expert.

The IPCC’s full report will also be exhibited in a redacted form.

Mr Thomas said: “Number one, we say this inquest should look at the planning and control of this firearms operation, specifically to see whether the planning was done in such a way as to minimise, to the greatest extent as possible, the risk to William Smith’s life.”

“The second limb is whether, at the time William Smith was shot, the force used was absolutely necessary.”

As is the case with all police shootings, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched an investigation, which has now concluded.

John Beggs, representing Kent Police, said: “The conclusion of the IPCC report was both officers T and N were responding to the threat they perceived when Mr Smith was aiming his shotgun towards them.”

Smith, 36, was on the run after being linked to the killing of Mr Blackman, from Biddenden, during a violent burglary in March 2016.

Two guns taken from another burglary were recovered from the Smiths Lane orchard where “Curly Bill”, of Golford, near Sissinghurst, was hiding.

Last September, 38-year-old Mark Love, of Frittenden Road, Staplehurst, received a life sentence for murder.

The court heard the victim was bludgeoned to death at his home in Headcorn Road and his safe, which contained £250,000, was also taken.

Smith’s DNA was found at the scene, implicating him heavily in events. The prosecution said if alive he would also have been put on trial.

Following Love’s conviction, Smith’s father, Tracey, spoke of his anger that his son had repeatedly been implicated in the crime.