The case against the Metropolitan Police over the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes reopens in court today.
The first hearing, which was scheduled for last month, had to be adjourned until today after the Met's lawyers requested extra time to consider their plea. Incredible really when you consider that they're being prosecuted under health and safety laws (as a result of the Crown Prosecution Service deciding that there was no evidence to charge any individual officers over the shooting).
If the Met pleads not guilty today then the case will probably go to the Old Bailey for a trial some time in 2007. If they plead guilty, the case will be sent to the crown court for sentencing.
If they're actually found guilty then they'll face an "unlimited fine".
As for the Met's investigation into the incident, they've already announced that any inquest into the conduct of individual officers (including those of the recently-promoted Commander Cressida Dick) would not be held until after the criminal proceedings were finished.
UPDATE: The Met have pleaded not guilty.
