The father of a man shot dead by police has accused officers of withholding information from him on the night his son died.

Eamon Fox said that he was not told about the armed operation against his mentally ill son James until after he had been shot, the inquest into his death heard.

In a statement read to jurors on Wednesday, Mr Fox said that he was not given the opportunity to intervene and talk to his son, either in person or over the phone, as the situation developed on August 30 last year.

James was shot dead by armed officers at the door of his flat hours after pointing a gun at the head of a girl, sparking a police operation. When the flat was subsequently searched an air pistol was found.

Mr Fox wrote in his statement that he told a police officer who came to his home "several times that James only had an air pistol", which he used to shoot pigeons that were a nuisance at his tower block home.

Mr Fox wrote: "If I had been told about the armed police I would have offered to go and speak to James, or on the phone. I feel that things were withheld from me.

"I feel very strongly that I should have been told what was going on and given the opportunity to stop what was going on."

The hearing at North London Coroner's Court in Barnet had previously heard that James Fox was shot five times, including in the head, by police officers when he opened the door of his flat in Enfield on August 30 last year.

In his statement, Mr Fox said his son rang him at home on the evening of August 30 and said "I'll shoot you", which he had not taken seriously because he knew his son only had an air weapon. He then drove to his son's flat in Picardy House to speak to him, but he was not there.

The jury had previously heard that while Mr Fox was out, James went to the Barnet home of his father and stepmother, Mary Bourke, making threats towards the older man and pointing the gun at the child.

A police firearms officer previously told the inquest that they could not be "100% sure" James had been carrying only an air gun when he opened the door because his father had not seen the weapon he had earlier brandished.

The inquest on Wednesday heard that "quiet and shy" James, who was once sectioned under the Mental Health Act, had a history of mental illness and alcohol abuse that worsened after several tragedies in his life.

In his statement, Mr Fox said his son had had an early marriage breakdown and been denied contact with his daughter from a subsequent relationship.

Then, in 2008, his younger brother "and best friend" Adam had died suddenly on a golf course from a previously undiagnosed heart problem.

The jury in the inquest is expected to retire to consider its ruling on Thursday.