This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/kent/10603022.stm
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Morrisons gunman 'murdered woman' | Morrisons gunman 'murdered woman' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Ms Raupiene's body was found at the bedsit in Victoria Road, Canterbury | Ms Raupiene's body was found at the bedsit in Victoria Road, Canterbury |
An unemployed man strangled his girlfriend, leaving her body in a Kent bedsit, then went into a supermarket brandishing a gun, a court has heard. | An unemployed man strangled his girlfriend, leaving her body in a Kent bedsit, then went into a supermarket brandishing a gun, a court has heard. |
Lithuanian Tomas Uptas, 32, threatened members of the public at Morrisons in Canterbury before being shot by police, Maidstone Crown Court was told. | Lithuanian Tomas Uptas, 32, threatened members of the public at Morrisons in Canterbury before being shot by police, Maidstone Crown Court was told. |
At one point he pointed a gun at a 12-year-old girl and police had no choice but to shoot, jurors heard. | |
Mr Uptas denies murdering 46-year-old Loreta Raupiene, also from Lithuania. | Mr Uptas denies murdering 46-year-old Loreta Raupiene, also from Lithuania. |
Prosecutor Oliver Saxby said police had received reports that a man with a handgun was terrorising members of the public in the Wincheap store on the evening of 26 November last year. | Prosecutor Oliver Saxby said police had received reports that a man with a handgun was terrorising members of the public in the Wincheap store on the evening of 26 November last year. |
As well as pointing the gun at the girl, he effectively held up a car being driven by a mother with her young children. | |
"Plainly a potentially dangerous situation was developing," said Mr Saxby. | "Plainly a potentially dangerous situation was developing," said Mr Saxby. |
Outstretched arm | |
He said armed officers found Mr Uptas sitting in an aisle of the store with a wine bottle in one hand and the gun in the other. | He said armed officers found Mr Uptas sitting in an aisle of the store with a wine bottle in one hand and the gun in the other. |
When they shouted at him to put the gun down he refused, pointing it directly at them. | When they shouted at him to put the gun down he refused, pointing it directly at them. |
Jurors were told the officers shot the gunman in his outstretched arm. | Jurors were told the officers shot the gunman in his outstretched arm. |
He was given emergency first aid at the scene before being taken to hospital. | He was given emergency first aid at the scene before being taken to hospital. |
Mr Uptas gave police his address, a bedsit in Victoria Road, which they attended and found the body of Ms Raupiene. | |
The court heard the couple had only been together a few months but the relationship had been suffering for some time. | The court heard the couple had only been together a few months but the relationship had been suffering for some time. |
The body of Ms Raupiene was found in Victoria Road, near the supermarket | |
Neither had a job and they would often argue about their money worries, with Mr Uptas also becoming increasingly jealous and possessive of his girlfriend. | |
She had wanted to leave him but he had told her that if he could not have her, no one else would, jurors heard. | She had wanted to leave him but he had told her that if he could not have her, no one else would, jurors heard. |
Mr Saxby said Mr Uptas was "prone to outbursts of violence when drunk" and had previously threatened to kill Ms Raupiene. | Mr Saxby said Mr Uptas was "prone to outbursts of violence when drunk" and had previously threatened to kill Ms Raupiene. |
The court was told Ms Raupiene came to the UK to join her estranged husband but began a relationship with Mr Uptas when they worked together at a hutch-making company. | |
He later moved into her bedsit but both later lost their jobs. | |
Their arguments intensified and on one occasion friends had to intervene when Mr Uptas grabbed Ms Raupiene's throat during a drunken argument. | |
On the day she died she texted a friend to ask for help as she said she wanted to leave Uptas but was penniless. | |
Mr Saxby said forensic evidence showed that fibres taken from the ligature marks on Ms Raupiene's neck matched her own red scarf. | |
Mr Uptas has previously pleaded guilty to possessing a BB firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and attempted false imprisonment. | |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
Previous version
1
Next version