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Cromer shootings: Council leader Keith Johnson had 'beaten' wife Cromer shootings: Norfolk council leader Keith Johnson beat wife
(about 2 hours later)
A respected council leader who could "change like the devil" subjected his wife to almost a decade of abuse before shooting her dead, a report has found. A respected council leader whose personality could "change like the devil" subjected his wife to almost a decade of abuse before shooting her dead, a report has found.
Keith Johnson, 58, leader of North Norfolk District Council, killed his wife Andrea, 44, before turning the gun on himself in Cromer on 2 December. Keith Johnson, 58, leader of North Norfolk District Council, killed his "trophy wife" Andrea, 44, and then himself in Cromer on 2 December.
The abuse suffered by Mrs Johnson was only revealed in a harrowing diary discovered after her death. Mrs Johnson's suffering was revealed in a harrowing diary found after she died.
An inquest into both deaths was held in Norwich. The report said people may have thought it "unthinkable" she was being abused.
Coroner William Armstrong concluded that Mrs Johnson suffered an unlawful death while Mr Johnson killed himself. The contents of the domestic violence homicide review were disclosed after the conclusion of the inquest earlier.
A domestic violence homicide review, published after the inquest, found those who knew the couple may have failed to spot warning signs as they were blinded by their public image. Coroner William Armstrong ruled Mrs Johnson was unlawfully killed and Mr Johnson killed himself.
He said the killing was "deliberate" but the deaths could not have been "foreseen".
The review found those who knew the couple may have failed to spot warning signs as they were blinded by their public image.
Referring to the couple only as Mr B and Mrs A, report author Gaynor Mears said: "His public persona and high standing in the community may have made it unthinkable that he was abusing Mrs A in the privacy of their own home.Referring to the couple only as Mr B and Mrs A, report author Gaynor Mears said: "His public persona and high standing in the community may have made it unthinkable that he was abusing Mrs A in the privacy of their own home.
"Indeed, there is still incredulity in some quarters that Mr B shot Mrs A then took his own life.""Indeed, there is still incredulity in some quarters that Mr B shot Mrs A then took his own life."
'Trophy wife'
The diary kept by Mrs Johnson since 2004 was discovered during the investigation into their deaths.The diary kept by Mrs Johnson since 2004 was discovered during the investigation into their deaths.
In one of the earliest entries, written in March of that year, she said: "He doesn't seem bothered he is hurting me, said I either like it or lump it, he ain't going to change."In one of the earliest entries, written in March of that year, she said: "He doesn't seem bothered he is hurting me, said I either like it or lump it, he ain't going to change."
Later she described how he would "change like the devil" when they were alone.Later she described how he would "change like the devil" when they were alone.
The report describes how the couple had been together since 1994, marrying in 2004. They were in an "open relationship" with both having affairs. The report describes how the couple, who had been together since 1994 and had married in 2004, were in an "open relationship" with both having affairs.
Witnesses told the inquiry that he treated Mrs Johnson, described as younger and attractive, as a "trophy wife". Witnesses told the inquest Mr Johnson treated Mrs Johnson, described as younger and attractive, as a "trophy wife".
She suffered from depression and tried to take her own life with an overdose of anti-depressants and alcohol in 2006. The day before the killing, Mr Johnson asked his wife to leave the house because he thought she was impeding his career.
After this, she confided in friends that she was considering leaving her husband. 'That monster'
'Went to town'
Mrs Johnson rang the police in August 2011 in a distressed state and told the operator "help me".
When officers arrived, Mr Johnson said he would call a senior officer, adding "he will sort this out".
The officers refused to let him do this but when they spoke to Mrs Johnson she told them they only had a "verbal altercation".
After this incident, she wrote in her diary: "He hit me a lot. He went to town."
The day before the killing, Mr Johnson asked his wife to leave the house as she was "impeding his career".
She went to stay with a man who she was in a relationship with.She went to stay with a man who she was in a relationship with.
The next day Mr Johnson asked her to come back to the house to talk things through but was lying in wait, ready to shoot her with her own shotgun.The next day Mr Johnson asked her to come back to the house to talk things through but was lying in wait, ready to shoot her with her own shotgun.
He had left instructions on the disposal of the estate and for their funeral. Three unspent cartridges were found by his side. He had left instructions on the disposal of the estate and for their funeral. Three unspent cartridges were found by his side in the bungalow and Mrs Johnson's body was found on a driveway.
Concluding the report, Ms Mears said: "There is a tendency to think that domestic abuse does not happen in affluent areas and it does not happen in relationships such as Mrs A's and Mr B's.Concluding the report, Ms Mears said: "There is a tendency to think that domestic abuse does not happen in affluent areas and it does not happen in relationships such as Mrs A's and Mr B's.
"This case graphically demonstrates how the public face of an individual can be very different to the one behind closed doors."This case graphically demonstrates how the public face of an individual can be very different to the one behind closed doors.
"The phrase 'it doesn't happen here' needs to be dispelled and information needs to be available across the county for professionals, families, friends and colleagues to help them identify domestic abuse." "The phrase 'it doesn't happen here' needs to be dispelled."
After the inquest, Mrs Johnson's brother, Brian Chadwick, said: "I am deeply saddened that Andrea suffered in silence through more than a decade of abuse at the hands of that monster, Keith Johnson - a man who we trusted and let into our lives.
"He was controlling, as well as physically, verbally and sexually abusive and, when my sister tried to leave him, he killed her for it.
"People now know the real man behind his precious chain of office."