Andrew Kernan: Shot while brandishing a sword

The report conceded there had been "procedural problems" with the care of Mr Kernan but claimed none of these contributed to the shooting.

The conclusions stated: "The provision and co-ordination of care to Andrew Kernan was what would have been expected of Mersey Care NHS Trust.

"The standard of crisis intervention support offered to Andrew prior to 12 July 2001 and on 12 July 2001 was the standard that would have been expected of Mersey Care NHS Trust.

"The administration of the community care programme approach documentation did not fully meet the standard that would have been expected of Mersey Care NHS Trust.

"However, the review team do not believe that this contributed to Andrew's death."

On 12 July last year the NHS failed to safeguard Andrew's medical interests which resulted in my son's death

Marie Kernan

On the night of the shooting, Mr Kernan, who had been under the care of local health officials for 16 years, became agitated at the flat he shared with his mother.

The report revealed that two psychiatric nurses were sent to try to calm him down but left after he threatened to chop their heads off.

Officers from Merseyside Police were called to the scene and Mr Kernan was at one point able to leave his bedroom and emerged on to the street wielding a samurai sword.

The dead man, described in the report as "popular and gentle", was shot in the chest after ignoring requests to drop the weapon.

Mr Yates today said his staff acted with total professionalism but pledged to work more closely with police to reduce the risk of a repeat tragedy.

Police inquiry

He said: "Andrew's situation was tragic and highly unusual.

"It provides an impetus for the police and ourselves to work even more closely together.

"Some of our nurses had been in contact with Andrew for quite a length of time and they are feeling the loss of a patient who was popular and gentle."

Mrs Kernan described the report as "a total whitewash", claiming the psychiatric nurses were never threatened by Andrew and failed to look after him properly.

She said: "The care Andrew received up until the night he died was excellent. I've no complaints with that.

"But on 12 July last year the NHS failed to safeguard Andrew's medical interests which resulted in my son's death.

"The report's findings are nothing short of a total whitewash."

A separate Police Complaints Authority inquiry into the actions of Merseyside Police is due to be completed in the near future.