A couple sitting opposite Jean Charles de Menezes did not hear undercover police identify themselves before they shot the Brazilian, his inquest was told yesterday.

Ralph Livock and Rachel Wilson saw armed men board the train at Stockwell Tube station in South London and move towards Mr de Menezes, their weapons raised. At no time, they said, did they hear anyone shout “armed police”. This contradicts accounts from some armed officers that they had identified themselves.

The couple were reading about the failed suicide bomb attack the previous day – July 21, 2005 – when officers in plain clothes boarded the train.

Asked if any had identified themselves, Mr Livock said: “Absolutely not. On television you see people with police caps or jackets. There was nothing like that.

“One of my thoughts was that they were lads having a laugh, because they were in jeans and T-shirts. We had no idea whether they were police, whether they were terrorists, whether they were somebody else. The thing that had me realise it was not lads playing around was when the first shot was fired. The man in front fired into Mr de Menezes’s head.”

Ms Wilson said: “I thought they were messing around and then I thought they were terrorists and it was only when I left the carriage that I realised they were good guys.” Asked at what point she had realised that, she told Southwark Coroner’s Court: “When I looked down and there was blood on my hands.”

Mr Livock said: “Mr de Menezes didn’t look frightened – he looked like he was waiting for somebody to tell him what was going on.”

Contrary to what the officers told the court, Mr Livock said that he did not see the 27-year-old electrician get up and walk towards the officers. “My recollection is that I didn’t see him doing anything other than sitting,” he said.

He added that he remembered Mr de Menezes reached towards the top of his trousers and then the shooting started.

As he got off the train he heard more shooting. He saw Mr de Menezes slumped in his seat and there was a lot of blood.

Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head at point-blank range after being mistaken for a failed suicide bomber.

Some of the passengers ran on to a Victoria Line train and went to a nearby station where a member of staff could not get through to the police. They then went to a pub and the landlord called the police.

A third passenger, Wesley Merrill, told the hearing that he saw some officers wearing police hats.The inquest continues.

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