Ben Ireland reports from the Royal Courts of Justice in London
Footage of holidaymakers fleeing the gunman who killed 38 people in a Tunisian tourist hotspot – including the final moments of one man – has been shown as the inquests of 30 British nationals began this morning.
The steps of Seifeddine Rezgui, who opened fire on the Sousse beach in a terrorist attack, were retraced using 3D imagery, put together using CCTV and computer aided modelling by the Metropolitan Police.
Radicalised student Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the beach and at the Imperial Marhaba Hotel.
Samantha Leek QC said of Rezgui: “He systematically took the lives of 38 people who had travelled to Tunisia for enjoyment, luxury and relaxation. Thirty-eight people who had done nothing to provoke this attack, individually or collectively; 38 people who needlessly lost their lives.”
Footage showed how, over 40 minutes, Rezgui made his way from a nearby drop off point where he appeared from a white Peugeot van concealing his weapon under a parasol, before making his way to the beach.
His route into the hotel pool area, lobby, upstairs rooms and car park was also recreated on the software, shown at the Royal Courts of Justice interspersed with CCTV evidence.
A film showing the last moments of Bruce Wilkinson’s life was also screened at the hearing.
“This is graphic CCTV footage of people running into the hotel and the gunman running behind them,” said Samantha Leek QC.
Detective superintendant Mark Glover, from the Met’s counter-terrorism squad, said the 3D imagery was an “exact scale representation” of the events based on the best evidence provided to officers.
Coroner Judge Loraine-Smith was told that evidence presented later in the hearings will be “generally critical of Tui”, the parent company of tour operator Thomson which co-owned the hotel at the time of the shootings on June 26, 2015.
The coroner also heard that an “enormous” amount of material collected from witnesses will be heard over the seven-week inquests.
Evidence from Jane Marriott, director of the Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, is set to be heard this afternoon.
See also
Health and safety audit ‘did not include security checks’
Imperial Marhaba ‘had six working CCTV cameras’
Tui destination manager feared ‘hotel scenario’
Authorities had plans for new tourist police squadron prior to attack
FCO stance queried by Tui legal chief
Operators ‘carried out no security assessments’
Foreign Office called for increased security measures