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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Judge death 'remains a mystery' | Judge death 'remains a mystery' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A judge who died in an explosion in his garden shed neither committed suicide nor was killed, a coroner has said. | A judge who died in an explosion in his garden shed neither committed suicide nor was killed, a coroner has said. |
| A second inquest into the death of Andrew Chubb, 58, found the cause of death was "unascertained". | A second inquest into the death of Andrew Chubb, 58, found the cause of death was "unascertained". |
| The judge had asked his wife of 34 years, Jennifer, for a divorce hours before his death in 2001, the five-day inquest in Glastonbury has heard. | The judge had asked his wife of 34 years, Jennifer, for a divorce hours before his death in 2001, the five-day inquest in Glastonbury has heard. |
| His wife told police that his mistress, Kerry Sparrow, was blackmailing the judge - a claim Ms Sparrow denied. | His wife told police that his mistress, Kerry Sparrow, was blackmailing the judge - a claim Ms Sparrow denied. |
| Ms Sparrow has been pushing for the second inquest for six years - and won a High Court battle last year for fresh evidence to be heard. | Ms Sparrow has been pushing for the second inquest for six years - and won a High Court battle last year for fresh evidence to be heard. |
| Coroner Sheriff Payne returned a narrative verdict on Friday. | Coroner Sheriff Payne returned a narrative verdict on Friday. |
| "It has not been possible to determine whether [Mr Chubb] was disabled from escaping by the effects of the products of combustion or any other means," he said. | "It has not been possible to determine whether [Mr Chubb] was disabled from escaping by the effects of the products of combustion or any other means," he said. |
| It is likely that the fire was caused or accelerated by the ignition of petrol vapour Sheriff Payne | It is likely that the fire was caused or accelerated by the ignition of petrol vapour Sheriff Payne |
| "Both the means and the cause of his death remain unascertained. | "Both the means and the cause of his death remain unascertained. |
| "Evidence that might indicate that he had expressed thoughts of harming himself fall far below proof beyond doubt that is the standard request for the conclusion that he deliberately took his own life." | "Evidence that might indicate that he had expressed thoughts of harming himself fall far below proof beyond doubt that is the standard request for the conclusion that he deliberately took his own life." |
| He also discounted any suggestion that Judge Chubb was killed by his wife or any other third party. | He also discounted any suggestion that Judge Chubb was killed by his wife or any other third party. |
| It would have been virtually impossible for her to "disable" him and set fire to the shed. | It would have been virtually impossible for her to "disable" him and set fire to the shed. |
| Mrs Chubb now lives in Australia and did not attend the hearing. | Mrs Chubb now lives in Australia and did not attend the hearing. |
| Ms Sparrow, a legal executvie from Portsmouth, gave evidence, saying she thought her lover had not killed himself. | |
| The first inquest ruled the death was accidental - a ruling never accepted by Ms Sparrow. | The first inquest ruled the death was accidental - a ruling never accepted by Ms Sparrow. |
| Mr Payne added that it was a mystery why Judge Chubb had closed the doors to the shed and why he had not tried to escape from the fire. | Mr Payne added that it was a mystery why Judge Chubb had closed the doors to the shed and why he had not tried to escape from the fire. |
| "It is likely that the fire was caused or accelerated by the ignition of petrol vapour. | "It is likely that the fire was caused or accelerated by the ignition of petrol vapour. |
| "There was no electricity or gas supply to the shed. No match or means of fire lighting were found." | "There was no electricity or gas supply to the shed. No match or means of fire lighting were found." |
| He said the judge did not smoke or carry matches and no-one had heard any attempt by him to start the sit-on lawnmower. | He said the judge did not smoke or carry matches and no-one had heard any attempt by him to start the sit-on lawnmower. |