The judge heading the inquest into the shooting of Mark Duggan told the jury they are to decide whether he “was killed lawfully or unlawfully”.

This afternoon, Judge Keith Cutler told the 11 jurors that their role was to “establish the truth” about the circumstances of the 29-year-old’s death.

The statement marked the start of the two-month inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice in The Strand.

Although no evidence was heard today because of legal discussions, the jury was selected and the judge outlined what would be happening over the next eight to ten weeks.

A moment’s silence was held at the request of Mr Duggan’s family to honour Mr Duggan’s death before Judge Cutler made his opening address.

The inquest is expected to hear testimony from a range of witnesses, police officers and forensic experts including Mr Duggan’s younger brother Marlon and the officer who shot the 29-year-old.

Keith Hutchinson-Foster, who was convicted earlier this year of supplying Mr Duggan with a gun, will also be giving evidence in the inquest.

Mr Duggan was shot dead by armed police when the minicab he was travelling in was pulled over in Ferry Lane, Tottenham, on August 4, 2011.

The shooting sparked the summer London riots that year and Mr Duggan's family have since campaigned to find out why the shooting took place.

Tomorrow morning, the inquest’s counsel Ashley Underwood QC will make his opening statement to the court but the first witness will not be heard until Monday September 23.