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| Judge killed himself, says wife | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The wife of a judge who died in a fireball in his shed was convinced he had killed himself, an inquest has heard. | 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 of 34 years, 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. |
| Mrs Chubb, 60, told neighbours at the scene that she thought her husband, who had a mistress, had taken his own life. | Mrs Chubb, 60, told neighbours at the scene that she thought her husband, who had a mistress, had taken his own life. |
| The inquest is the second into the death, which has been ruled accidental. | The inquest is the second into the death, which has been ruled accidental. |
| Gardener Peter Evans was the first on the scene. Giving evidence at Glastonbury Town Hall, he said he had gone to the Chubbs' farmhouse after hearing the blast. | |
| "I remember her being certain her husband had committed suicide," he said. | "I remember her being certain her husband had committed suicide," he said. |
| Mrs Chubb and Ms Sparrow | Mrs Chubb and Ms Sparrow |
| "Mrs Chubb mentioned the other woman and that he (Mr Chubb) had asked for divorce." | "Mrs Chubb mentioned the other woman and that he (Mr Chubb) had asked for divorce." |
| Mr Evans said Mrs Chubb told him her husband had earlier been looking at an attic window at the house, implying that he might jump from it. | |
| 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. | 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." | 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". | 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." | 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. |