A FULL full inquest into the death of Burnley policeman Ian Terry will not be held for at least a year, it has been revealed.

Officials at the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) are currently carrying out an investigation into PC Terry’s death, who died in June after being shot on a routine police training exercise in Manchester.

The IPCC probe will then be followed by separate inquiries by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) - which could prosecute Greater Manchester Police for corporate manslaughter - and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

And now the coroner who will eventually head the inquest into PC Terry’s death has revealed that he does not expect to be able to hold a full hearing until next summer “at the earliest”.

Central Manchester coroner Nigel Meadows also said the inquest may be even later than that if CPS prosecutors decide to pursue a case against police chiefs.

He added: “It will take some time but it was inevitable that it would take a long time.

“I know it will not be until the end of the year before even the inquiries are completed.”

PC Terry was hit in the chest by a CS gas-style cannister while taking part in a training routine at a disused warehouse in Newton Heath earlier this year.

He was not wearing body armour and the Greater Manchester force has since suspended the use of live cartridges in training procedures.

The 32-year-old, of Red Spar Road, Briercliffe, was married to Joanne, 31, and had two children, Lauren, four, and three-year-old John.

A CPS spokesman said: “We have had some materials relating to the PC Ian Terry case but in terms of making a decision, that will be some time off.

“However, we don’t give timescales because you can’t tell.”

Last month it emerged that Greater Manchester police chiefs have earmarked £1million to cover legal proceedings following the death of PC Terry.