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Judge mistress storms from court | Judge mistress storms from court |
(10 minutes later) | |
The mistress of a judge who died in a fireball in a garden shed walked out of an inquest as she gave evidence. | The mistress of a judge who died in a fireball in a garden shed walked out of an inquest as she gave evidence. |
Kerry Sparrow, 38, refused to read a statement she gave to the police about the death of Andrew Chubb, 58, in 2001. | |
Miss Sparrow, who won a court battle to get a second inquest into the judge's death heard, said she could not read the statement as it was untrue. | |
"I did sign it," she told the Somerset inquest. "But I didn't read it because I was so heavily tranquillised." | |
She also claimed she had been "bullied" by officers into giving the statement, just a week after his death. | She also claimed she had been "bullied" by officers into giving the statement, just a week after his death. |
Miss Sparrow then walked out of the courtroom, saying: "I can't do this." | Miss Sparrow then walked out of the courtroom, saying: "I can't do this." |
Forensic pathologist | Forensic pathologist |
Earlier on Wednesday the hearing was told the doctor who held a post-mortem examination on the judge could not say whether he was dead or not before the fire in the shed. | Earlier on Wednesday the hearing was told the doctor who held a post-mortem examination on the judge could not say whether he was dead or not before the fire in the shed. |
Judge Chubb died in Somerset in July 2001, with the cause of death put as burning following the post-mortem test. The first inquest found it was accidental. | |
The inquest is likely to end on Friday | |
At the latest inquest, a forensic pathologist criticised the results of the post-mortem examination. | |
Dr Hugh White told the inquest at Glastonbury Town Hall on Wednesday that they were "insufficient", "confusing" and "did not make sense". | Dr Hugh White told the inquest at Glastonbury Town Hall on Wednesday that they were "insufficient", "confusing" and "did not make sense". |
The Home Office forensic pathologist said it would be impossible, from the evidence in the findings, to come to the conclusion that Mr Chubb had burned to death. | The Home Office forensic pathologist said it would be impossible, from the evidence in the findings, to come to the conclusion that Mr Chubb had burned to death. |
The hospital post-mortem examination carried out after the death was conducted by Dr Charlotte Fisher, in 2001. | The hospital post-mortem examination carried out after the death was conducted by Dr Charlotte Fisher, in 2001. |
Dr White said: "While it is possible that [Chubb] has, as Dr Fisher concluded, died of burning, I feel there is insufficient information in her post-mortem report to find this conclusion. | Dr White said: "While it is possible that [Chubb] has, as Dr Fisher concluded, died of burning, I feel there is insufficient information in her post-mortem report to find this conclusion. |
"I would therefore disagree with her cause of death and find that her conclusion should have been unascertained." | "I would therefore disagree with her cause of death and find that her conclusion should have been unascertained." |
'Burned areas' | |
Dr Fisher told the inquest that she could not rule out another cause of death or that Mr Chubb was dead beforehand. | Dr Fisher told the inquest that she could not rule out another cause of death or that Mr Chubb was dead beforehand. |
She said it was impossible to draw definitive conclusions, claiming the body was too badly burned and that she would not have carried out the examination had she been told there were suspicious circumstances. | She said it was impossible to draw definitive conclusions, claiming the body was too badly burned and that she would not have carried out the examination had she been told there were suspicious circumstances. |
"When I saw the body I noted the most extensively burned areas were the feet and lower legs," she said. | |
"I puzzled, however, over the hands for some time and saw that they had been burned at the same time. I concluded that they had been clasped together during an explosion. | |
"I was therefore comfortable with the findings that the death was accidental and as a result of burning. | "I was therefore comfortable with the findings that the death was accidental and as a result of burning. |
"I cannot rule out another cause of death or that he was dead prior to the fire." | "I cannot rule out another cause of death or that he was dead prior to the fire." |
She argued there was "a lack of sufficient inquiry" into the death at the first hearing and claimed the police investigation was flawed. | She argued there was "a lack of sufficient inquiry" into the death at the first hearing and claimed the police investigation was flawed. |
The case continues. | The case continues. |