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| Dog breeder murder trial accused made ‘dreadful display of violence’ | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A dog breeder shot his partner and her daughter in a “dreadful display of violence” after he claimed they had been tormenting him, a court heard. | A dog breeder shot his partner and her daughter in a “dreadful display of violence” after he claimed they had been tormenting him, a court heard. |
| John Lowe loaded his shotgun to put down four dogs at his farm near Farnham, Surrey, but instead turned the weapon on 66-year-old Christine Lee before shooting her daughter, Lucy Lee, twice, after she had been “running for her life” from him before returning to confront him, jurors were told at Guildford crown court | John Lowe loaded his shotgun to put down four dogs at his farm near Farnham, Surrey, but instead turned the weapon on 66-year-old Christine Lee before shooting her daughter, Lucy Lee, twice, after she had been “running for her life” from him before returning to confront him, jurors were told at Guildford crown court |
| The 82-year-old denies two charges of murder on 23 February this year and a third charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. | The 82-year-old denies two charges of murder on 23 February this year and a third charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. |
| Mark Dennis QC told the jury that a “desperate” 999 call was made by Lucy, 40, saying that Lowe had killed her mother and she believed she was also about to be killed. | |
| Dennis said: “The female caller was in a frightened and frantic state, saying that a man called John Lowe had just shot her mother and that she was herself running for her life. | Dennis said: “The female caller was in a frightened and frantic state, saying that a man called John Lowe had just shot her mother and that she was herself running for her life. |
| “Moments later, showing extraordinary courage, the caller indicated that she had made the decision to go back to the scene of the incident, saying as she ran: ’I’m gonna go back for him but I’ll die’, followed by ’I’m nearly outside the house and I fear he’s going to shoot me’. | “Moments later, showing extraordinary courage, the caller indicated that she had made the decision to go back to the scene of the incident, saying as she ran: ’I’m gonna go back for him but I’ll die’, followed by ’I’m nearly outside the house and I fear he’s going to shoot me’. |
| “Her last words to the operator were: ’I don’t know if I’m going to be alive if I go back in there. He shot my mum. Bye.’ | “Her last words to the operator were: ’I don’t know if I’m going to be alive if I go back in there. He shot my mum. Bye.’ |
| “Those were indeed her last words to anyone, save possibly to John Lowe, who moments later was to kill her with two shots from a shotgun.” | “Those were indeed her last words to anyone, save possibly to John Lowe, who moments later was to kill her with two shots from a shotgun.” |
| Dennis continued: “When the police arrived at the address they were met with a scene of carnage. A guard dog was lying dead on the ground at the front of the house. | Dennis continued: “When the police arrived at the address they were met with a scene of carnage. A guard dog was lying dead on the ground at the front of the house. |
| “The caller, Lucy Lee, was lying dead or dying on some garden steps at the rear of the house. Her mother, Christine Lee, was lying dead or dying in the living room inside the house and three further dogs were found lying dead in out-buildings near to the house. | “The caller, Lucy Lee, was lying dead or dying on some garden steps at the rear of the house. Her mother, Christine Lee, was lying dead or dying in the living room inside the house and three further dogs were found lying dead in out-buildings near to the house. |
| “All these victims of violence had been killed by shots from the same shotgun.” | “All these victims of violence had been killed by shots from the same shotgun.” |
| Explaining the reason for the killing was not fully known, he added: “Still at the property was 82-year-old John Lowe, now resigned to his fate – the rage or loss of temper that had caused such violence by now having subsided. | Explaining the reason for the killing was not fully known, he added: “Still at the property was 82-year-old John Lowe, now resigned to his fate – the rage or loss of temper that had caused such violence by now having subsided. |
| “Upon arrest he made no apology for shooting the two women, merely commenting: ’They’ve been giving me s*** for weeks. | “Upon arrest he made no apology for shooting the two women, merely commenting: ’They’ve been giving me s*** for weeks. |
| “The two victims are not here to give an account of what led up to this dreadful display of violence nor to respond to any accusation or suggestion that the defendant has sought, or may now seek to make following their death. | “The two victims are not here to give an account of what led up to this dreadful display of violence nor to respond to any accusation or suggestion that the defendant has sought, or may now seek to make following their death. |
| “Only he knows the true reason why he lost his temper in such a lethal way. | “Only he knows the true reason why he lost his temper in such a lethal way. |
| “However, what is clear in the prosecution submission is that the defendant would have to know full well what he was doing. | |
| “Indeed, having already fired a fatal shot into Christine Lee, and then firing a shot into Lucy Lee, the defendant would have had to have reloaded the shotgun before then firing the second, fatal shot into Lucy’s chest and doing so at very close range.” | “Indeed, having already fired a fatal shot into Christine Lee, and then firing a shot into Lucy Lee, the defendant would have had to have reloaded the shotgun before then firing the second, fatal shot into Lucy’s chest and doing so at very close range.” |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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