Woodmancote gun killer lied on shotgun form, inquest told

A man who shot and killed his partner and daughters had been granted a shotgun licence by police despite being caught lying on his application form, an inquest in Horsham has heard.

Robert Needham applied to Hampshire Police but Sussex Police granted the application in 2016 because he moved.

He bought the gun from a registered dealer nine days before using it in the shootings in Woodmancote in March 2020.

After he shot his family, he turned the gun on himself.

Needham, 42, shot and killed his partner Kelly Fitzgibbons, 40, and daughters Ava and Lexi Needham, four and two, at their home.

Giving evidence, Ch Supt Nigel Lecointe, from Hampshire Police, who is currently in charge of the force's firearms department, said Needham did not declare any police cautions or convictions, or any relevant medical conditions including depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, in his form.

As part of the application process, a firearms enquiry officer (FEO) interviewed Needham at his home.

During the interview, the FEO said Hampshire Police would check its database and speak to Needham's GP.

Needham then admitted he had not disclosed a caution he received aged 25 after a bicycle theft, because he did not think it was relevant.

He also admitted he had been treated for depression as a teenager and saw his GP in 2013 for workplace stress, but he said it was a long time ago and he did not think it was relevant.

The inquest heard Needham had been treated for depression twice, once as a teenager and once in 2003.

Needham also claimed his partner filled out the form because "he didn't write well" and she did not know about the caution so could not include it.

But the inquest heard from Ms Fitzgibbons's sister Emma Ambler, who denied this. Ms Ambler, from Birmingham, said that she was certain the form was in Needham's handwriting.

The hearing was told Needham was still granted a shotgun certificate in 2016 by Sussex Police, which had received details of the investigation from the Hampshire force.

A disclosure warning letter to Needham recommended by the FEO was not sent because the case was passed to Sussex, the inquest was told.

Ch Supt Lecointe was asked how common it was for people to be dishonest on the application form.

He said it wasn't very common but it did happen and the assessment was then "whether the applicant deliberately intended to deceive" or they had a feeling the information was not relevant.

The inquest has previously heard the happy and loving couple had been together for more than a decade.

Sussex Police officers, Det Ch Insp Charlotte Rimmer and Det Con Alice Barr, told the hearing that before the shootings, Ms Fitzgibbons had said the relationship was not working and wrote on WhatsApp: "I think we should have a break and see how we both feel."

Needham wrote back: "If that's how you really feel."

The inquest heard the couple had financial difficulties in the past and had borrowed about £20,000 from his mother, while Ms Fitzgibbons had about £3,000 in credit card debt and Needham had a £14,000 loan.

On 4 March, the pair bought a second property with a view to renting it out as they did their first house. They were living in his mother's home, rent and bill free, at the time of the deaths, the inquest heard.

Needham bought the gun used in the shootings nine days beforehand, telling the dealer he wanted to shoot pigeons, Det Ch Insp Rimmer told the hearing.

He did not purchase ammunition but shotgun cartridges were found on the dining room in the home.

The inquest heard a toxicology report found Needham had a long-term history of cocaine use.

Forensic toxicologist Dr John Slaughter said Needham had used cocaine in the three months before his death but was not under the influence of cocaine when he died.

The inquest continues.

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