 Stuart Horgan Mrs Horgan(centre)'s children watched as the attack unfolded |
A man who killed himself after he was charged with murdering his wife and her sister at a barbecue had a history of domestic violence, police have said. It was alleged Stuart Horgan shot dead estranged wife Vicky and Emma Walton, in front of their two children at a family party near Henley, Oxon.
Thames Valley Police have confirmed their domestic violence unit dealt with several complaints about Mr Horgan.
They say he was subject to assessment under public protection arrangements.
Police also revealed the weapon used to kill Ms Horgan, 27, and 25-year-old Ms Walton, from Reading, was a single-barrelled shotgun - which needed to be reloaded after each shot.
 |  It's probably not appropriate to feel as I did feel when you hear that somebody's committed suicide  |
The sisters' mother, Jacqueline Walton, was also critically injured in the shooting at the Glebe, Highmoor Cross, and is recovering in hospital. Neighbour Dawn Clarke said she too had been threatened by Mr Horgan: "I had an harassment order served against him because he threatened to kill me.
"Stuart had a lot of history with the police - a huge charge sheet
"But nobody really took it seriously - I said to the police, does he have to kill somebody before you do something?"
'Good news'
Ms Clarke said she was relieved when she heard about Mr Horgan's death: "It's probably not appropriate to feel as I did feel when you hear that somebody's committed suicide.
"But it is good news as we won't now have this trial."
A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: "As with all potentially dangerous offenders, he was subject to assessment under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.
"Regular case assessments were made with action being taken by criminal justice agencies and Oxfordshire County Council."
Neighbours are to hold a collection to raise money for Ms Horgan's orphaned children on Thursday.
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