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Farnham murder accused John Lowe 'intended to kill dogs' Farnham murder accused John Lowe: Deaths 'a terrible accident'
(about 4 hours later)
A man accused of shooting his partner and her daughter planned to kill one of his dogs that "hated intensely" the younger woman, a jury has heard. A man accused of shooting dead his partner and her daughter has told a court their deaths were "a terrible accident".
John Lowe, 83, denies murdering Christine Lee, 66, and Lucy Lee, 40, at his dog breeding farm in February.John Lowe, 83, denies murdering Christine Lee, 66, and Lucy Lee, 40, at his dog breeding farm in February.
He told Guildford Crown Court Lucy had been responsible for feeding the guard dogs at his Surrey property, including the one that hated her. The jury heard Mr Lowe had planned to kill one of his guard dogs that "hated intensely" Lucy, who was responsible for feeding them.
Christine had told him to shoot the dog before it killed her daughter, he said. He told Guildford Crown Court Christine grabbed the gun and it went off.
Mr Lowe told the court he had taken the shotgun - which he used to shoot rats - from his gun cabinet and intended to kill four dogs. The jury heard that when the defendant had taken the shotgun - which he used to shoot rats - from his gun cabinet he intended to kill four dogs.
'So stupid''So stupid'
"What I wanted to do on that particular day was to put some dogs down," he said.
"That was the purpose of getting the gun."
He explained the dog that hated Lucy was "beautiful" and "lovely with me".He explained the dog that hated Lucy was "beautiful" and "lovely with me".
"I kept putting [killing] it off," he said. "[But] Christine said you better shoot that guard dog or it's going to kill Lucy.""I kept putting [killing] it off," he said. "[But] Christine said you better shoot that guard dog or it's going to kill Lucy."
Mr Lowe demonstrated to the jury using a walking stick how he had walked into the house in Farnham with the loaded shotgun under his arm. Using a walking stick, Mr Lowe demonstrated how he had walked into the house in Tilford, near Farnham, Surrey, with the gun under his arm.
He said: "I've got bad arthritis. It was a ludicrous way to hold the gun. I never remember doing anything so stupid in my life. He said: "I've got bad arthritis. It was a ludicrous way to hold the gun. I never remember doing anything so stupid in my life."
"I never walk indoors with a gun loaded." Mr Lowe said both women "flew up to the door".
999 call "[Lucy] was screaming in horror and the top of her voice, 'What are you doing with the gun?," he said.
He had previously told the court the gun had gone off accidently. "Christine said 'Give me the bloody gun', or something like that.
Earlier, the court was told Lucy had made a "desperate" 999 call to police saying Mr Lowe had killed her mother and she was "running for her life". "The gun was facing her. She grabbed hold of the gun and held the gun.
She then told the operator she was going back to confront Mr Lowe, before being shot twice, the jury heard. "As soon as she grabbed it the gun went off. I couldn't believe it.
Mr Lowe earlier pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and a firearms charge. "I was thinking, 'Christ, I didn't pull the trigger'. Because she pulled the gun, it pulled my finger against the trigger."
The case continues. Asked by defence barrister Ian Lawrie QC whether he intended to pull the trigger, Mr Lowe replied: "Of course not.
"She went straight down to the ground. You could see she was stone dead.
"It's the worst thing that's happened to me in my life."
Mr Lowe said he was "worried" for Lucy after he fired the weapon and as he turned towards her on the settee, the gun went off again.
"It must have been the flimsy, stupid way I was holding the gun," he said.
'Suicide attempt failed'
At that moment, he said Lucy ran into the kitchen and he thought she had not been injured.
Mr Lowe then said he reloaded the gun with the intention of shooting his dogs.
Going into the kitchen, he saw Lucy lying on a step with a coat over her, when "the bloody gun went off again", the jury was told.
"My hand must have touched the trigger and it went off," he said.
He told the court he then decided to shoot the four dogs, and kill himself.
After shooting the dogs, he said he put the shotgun under his jumper but when he pulled the trigger twice "it just clicked", because both chambers were empty.
"I killed them but I didn't murder them," he said.
"It was a terrible accident and it was all my fault."
The trial continues.