A CORONER has ruled an off-duty PC shot dead when he confronted a gunman was killed unlawfully.

PC Ian Dibell was killed in Redbridge Road in Clacton in July last year.

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray has ruled he was unlawfullly killed.

She had also ruled gunman Peter Reeve, 64, whose body was discovered near All Saints’ Church, Writtle, the next morning, committed suicide.

The inquest has  heard how Pc Dibell reached into a car to try to disarm Peter Reeve, who was in possession of a First World War revolver.