UK NEWS

'ODD BEHAVIOUR' OF JUDGE'S WIFE

Mistress: Kerry Sparrow

Wednesday October 10,2007

By Cyril Dixon

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(1)

A JUDGE’S wife changed her story when questioned about the death of her husband in a mysterious shed fire, an inquest heard yesterday.

Jennifer Chubb said first that she had argued with 58-year-old Andrew Chubb and he committed suicide by burning himself alive.

But when questioned on suspicion of his murder, she claimed they had a good relationship and denied he would harm himself.

The extraordinary U-turn came on the second day of a fresh inquest into the circuit judge’s death, held after a legal battle by his mistress Kerry Sparrow who suspects foul play.

Mrs Chubb, 60, has refused to return from her new home in Australia for the hearing.
Witnesses outlined a number of anomalies in evidence gathered at the Chubbs’ farmhouse in the village of Leigh, near Chard, Somerset, six years ago.

Initially, the community nurse had been “adamant” that her husband wanted a divorce and had taken his own life. But during two days of interviews she told PC Roger Saunders: “As far as I was concerned the relationship was working very well. At no time in our relationship did Andrew make any statement to me that he intended to harm himself.”

However, she admitted to acting in a bizarre fashion by closing their home’s windows while the shed was still burning.

“I was trying to prevent damage to the house and the vehicles,” she explained to officers.

PC Saunders said Mrs Chubb had been “distressed” on the night of her husband’s death and appeared to be “telling the truth”.

Fire station manager Andrew Quinlan, who discovered Mr Chubb’s charred body, said: “The cause of the fire was very suspicious. As soon as we arrived, the shed was treated as a crime scene.”

He added that the body smelled strongly of petrol and the burnt-out remains of a plastic container of petrol were found beside it. Crucial tests on Mrs Chubb’s clothing were not carried out, experts told the inquest.

Forensic scientist Robert Bell said: “There were tests which could have been attempted. People who use accelerants to set fire to things often spill splashes on their clothing.”

He said he could find no evidence of murder or suicide, although the mower and petrol cans suggested an accident.
Mrs Chubb was questioned by police in the days following her husband’s death, but was released without charge.

She was arrested on suspicion of murder in 2002 during a fresh inquiry.

The hearing heard that Avon and Somerset police had begun an investigation the day after the fire but treated it as “an accident” from the start.

Scene-of-crime officer Kenneth Cobb, who examined the burnt-out wreckage and the couple’s home, said he found no signs of a struggle or suicide.

The inquest continues.

CRACKING STORY!

10.10.07, 2:47pm

Possibly the most open and shut case of all time.

Two hours after telling his wife he's divorcing her for a younger mistress, he's blown up in his shed? Meanwhile the wife calming starts to shut the windows of the house as the shed burns (well, no-one likes the smell of charcoaled flesh).

Now she won't come back to the UK because shes 'a bit busy'. Not exactly a case for Inspector Morse is it?

• Posted by: glenn • Report Comment