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Second judge death inquest is due Judge 'killed himself', says wife
(about 3 hours later)
A second inquest into the death of a crown court judge who died in an explosion in a garden shed is start. The wife of a judge who died in a fireball in his shed was convinced he had killed himself, an inquest has heard.
Andrew Chubb, 58, died at his home near Chard, Somerset, in July 2001, less than an hour after asking his wife, Jennifer, for a divorce. Andrew Chubb, 58, died at his home near Chard, Somerset, in July 2001 less than an hour after asking his wife of 34 years, Jennifer, for a divorce.
His death was ruled as accidental, but his mistress, Kerry Sparrow, has been pushing for a second hearing. Mrs Chubb, 60, told neighbours at the scene that she thought her husband, who had a mistress, had taken his own life.
The High Court ruled in her favour last year after it was revealed new evidence had come to light. The inquest is the second into the death, which has been ruled accidental.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips and Mr Justice Roderick Evans said: "We have concluded that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to leave undisturbed... a verdict which is based on only part of the relevant evidence - and which the balance of the relevant evidence suggests may be open to doubt." Gardener Peter Evans was the first on the scene. Giving evidence at Glastonbury Town Hall, he said he had gone to the Chubb's farmhouse after hearing the blast.
Mrs Chubb was arrested and interviewed under caution in connection with her husband's death, but no charges were ever brought. "I remember her being certain her husband had committed suicide," he said.
The inquest, at Glastonbury town hall, is expected to last five days. Mrs Chubb and Ms Sparrow
As Ms Sparrow arrived at the town hall, she said: "I hope to hear all the facts into Andrew's death. "Mrs Chubb mentioned the other woman and that he (Mr Chubb) had asked for divorce."
"I'm confident the truth will come out." Mr Evans said Mrs Chubb told him her husband had earlier been looking at an attic window at the house implying that he may jump from it.
Mrs Chubb now lives in Australia Mr Evans said that as he tried to find a way of getting the judge out of the shed Mrs Chubb had started taking washing off the line.
He said: "That I found strange. If her husband was in the shed, she was bothered about the washing."
Sarah Bourke, representing Mr Chubb's mistress Kerry Sparrow, said one of Mrs Chubb's friends had asked her at the house if she "had a solicitor and if Bob paid out on suicides".
Mr Evans said of the conversation: "I thought it was a strange thing to say so soon after what had happened."
At the start of the inquest Coroner Sheriff Payne told the hearing that Mrs Chubb had now moved to Australia and would not be giving evidence.