Businessman shot wife and daughter

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The inquest at Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court was told that the 50-year-old businessman had killed Jill, 49, and Kirstie, 15, "almost certainly" as they slept in their beds at their £1.2m mansion in Maesbrook, Shropshire.

Coroner for mid and north Shropshire, John Ellery, said: "Mrs Jill Foster and her daughter Miss Kirstie Foster were both shot in the head. They were shot in their respective bedrooms almost certainly whilst asleep.

"They both had everything to live for and Kirstie had her teenage and adult life ahead of her."

He said Mr Foster had "quickly and methodically" killed his family and set Osbaston House on fire in August last year.

Mr Ellery said the businessman was likely to have shot his wife first, and then his daughter, to avoid the risk of Mrs Foster's "interception".

A Home Office pathologist found that Mr Foster died as a result of smoke inhalation, but a loaded rifle was recovered from near his body.

Mr Ellery said we will never know if Mr Foster had intended to turn the gun on himself before he was overcome by the flames.

The two-day inquest heard that Mr Foster, who made his fortune developing insulation technology for oil rigs, had mounting debts and was facing personal bankruptcy.

The coroner said he was satisfied the man seen in grainy CCTV footage recovered from Osbaston House after the fire was Mr Foster and said the footage showed Mr Foster "meticulously" setting the fires that ultimately tore down the mansion.