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Fuller quarry children 'stabbed to death' | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Three children found dead near their father's body in a disused quarry were stabbed to death with a hunting knife, an inquest has heard. | Three children found dead near their father's body in a disused quarry were stabbed to death with a hunting knife, an inquest has heard. |
Ceri Fuller, 35, Samuel, 12, Rebecca, eight, and Charlotte, seven, were found at Poles Coppice in Shropshire. | Ceri Fuller, 35, Samuel, 12, Rebecca, eight, and Charlotte, seven, were found at Poles Coppice in Shropshire. |
An inquest heard Mr Fuller had agreed to split up with his wife, Ruth, after she developed a "crush" on her tutor. | |
The three children, from Milkwall in Gloucestershire, suffered "large" wounds to the throat. | |
A fingerprint matching Mr Fuller's was found on a bloodstained knife recovered from the scene on 16 July last year. | A fingerprint matching Mr Fuller's was found on a bloodstained knife recovered from the scene on 16 July last year. |
Pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar told Wem Coroner's Court that Samuel died from the effects of the single wound to his neck. | Pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar told Wem Coroner's Court that Samuel died from the effects of the single wound to his neck. |
Rebecca had been stabbed five times in the chest, and her sister had suffered four chest wounds, the inquest was told. | Rebecca had been stabbed five times in the chest, and her sister had suffered four chest wounds, the inquest was told. |
Fractured skull | Fractured skull |
Dr Kolar, who carried out the post-mortem examinations, said Samuel and Rebecca also had cuts to their hands "consistent with defensive-type injuries". | |
The children's father was found dead at the foot of a 60ft (18m) cliff at the quarry with a fractured skull and other injuries consistent with a fall from height. | The children's father was found dead at the foot of a 60ft (18m) cliff at the quarry with a fractured skull and other injuries consistent with a fall from height. |
Mr Fuller, a paper mill worker, went missing with his children days before their bodies were discovered at the wooded beauty spot. | Mr Fuller, a paper mill worker, went missing with his children days before their bodies were discovered at the wooded beauty spot. |
At the time of the deaths, West Mercia Police said one line of inquiry was that Mr Fuller had killed his children before taking his own life. | At the time of the deaths, West Mercia Police said one line of inquiry was that Mr Fuller had killed his children before taking his own life. |
In a statement read to the inquest Mrs Fuller's sister, Joanna Ballard, said she went to see Mrs Fuller at her home in Milkwall, Gloucestershire, on 12 July. | |
She found that Mrs Fuller had tried to kill herself and was in a "zoned out, edgy and anxious state". | |
'Schoolgirl crush' | |
Earlier that day Mrs Fuller had sent texts of a loving nature to her husband, but also "flirty" texts to her tutor on a humanities course, the inquest heard. | |
One of the texts to her tutor had referred to a mid-life crisis, prompting him to remind her of the boundaries between a student and tutor. | |
Mrs Ballard said: "She had told me that she had a romantic crush on Mark, but she saw it as a schoolgirl crush and had no intention to take it any further." | |
But after being taken to hospital in Gloucester, and in a "rare moment of lucidity", Mrs Fuller told her sister that she and her husband were splitting up, claiming that "they had talked and he understood". | |
Giving evidence to the inquest, Mrs Ballard added that in the early hours of the next day her sister stared into her eyes and told her: "I think that Ceri killed Rebecca." | |
Forensic scientist Christopher Mckenzie said a 17cm-long (6.5in) hunting knife found at the scene had DNA on it from the three children. | Forensic scientist Christopher Mckenzie said a 17cm-long (6.5in) hunting knife found at the scene had DNA on it from the three children. |
In statements read to the court, friends of Mr Fuller, a production line supervisor, described him as a reserved family man and a good listener who rarely instigated conversations. | In statements read to the court, friends of Mr Fuller, a production line supervisor, described him as a reserved family man and a good listener who rarely instigated conversations. |