The Met firearms officer who shot dead an armed gangster in 2015 is to face a gross misconduct hearing, the police watchdog has confirmed.

On Thursday the Telegraph revealed that the officer, known only as W80, was to be hauled before a disciplinary hearing and could be sacked over the shooting of Jermaine Baker in 2015.

In an announcement on Friday morning, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed it was pressing ahead with gross misconduct proceedings and is recommending that it is conducted by an outside police force rather than the Met.

The decision to subject W80 to gross misconduct proceedings follows a lengthy legal battle and comes despite the fact prosecutors found he had no criminal case to answer.

IOPC Acting Director General Tom Whiting said: “This case has been through protracted legal proceedings which have been extremely challenging for everyone involved, not least W80 himself and Jermaine’s family.

“Following the Supreme Court ruling, we carefully reviewed our original decision. We considered evidence from the public inquiry, we invited additional representations from all parties, and sought additional independent assurance.

“We have now upheld our original decision that W80 should face a gross misconduct hearing. This isn’t a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe that it was the right decision in 2015 and remains so following the clear ruling from the Supreme Court in July.

“It’s important to stress that the IOPC does not decide whether or not W80’s actions amounted to gross misconduct – that is the role of the hearing panel who will come to a decision after considering all of the evidence.”