Chudley trial: Accused blamed Devizes solicitor for break-up of relationship, court told

Chudley, 63, calmly walked into the office of Mr Ward, 58, in July last year and blasted him in the head once with a sawn-off shotgun.

Mr Ward, a father of three who ran MGW Law in Devizes, suffered catastrophic head injuries and died almost three weeks later in hospital, Salisbury Crown Court heard.

Chudley, of no fixed address and formerly of Kingfisher House, Rowde, denies charges of murder, possession of a sawn-off shotgun with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to provoke fear of violence and making a threat to kill.

However, he has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility; a plea not accepted by the prosecution.

William Mousley QC, prosecuting, told the jury: "Shortly before 3pm on July 2 last year James Ward, known as Jim, was at work when the defendant Michael Chudley walked into his first floor office and shot him at close range with a sawn-off shotgun.

"James Ward suffered a devastating head injury and despite all the efforts of various medical professionals died three weeks later in hospital.

"It is clear Michael Chudley intended at the very least to cause serious injury to James Ward and most likely intended to kill him."

Mr Mousley told the jury of seven men and five women that in order for Chudley to kill Mr Ward, he had to threaten to shoot the law firm's receptionist Daphne Courtney, who worked on the ground floor, if she did not take him to Mr Ward's first floor office.

"She had really no way of stopping him carrying out his deadly act," he said.

"When Michael Chudley was arrested 30 minutes later by police he told them 'I shot him because he made our lives a misery'.

"When he was subsequently interviewed he made no comment but in a written statement after he was charged he admitted shooting James Ward claiming that he didn't intend to kill and was - to use his words - on autopilot.

"He said he had planned the shooting and having decided to shoot Mr Ward he would kill himself but gave up on that idea."

The court heard that Chudley was arrested at his former home, Kingfisher House in Rowde, by armed police officers.

The house, which Chudley shared with his partner Francine Whale, had been repossessed.

Chudley, who ran a firm called Kingfisher Builders with Ms Whale, had also split from her the previous April and was either renting rooms in local pubs or sleeping in his Ford Fiesta car.

Mr Mousley went on to explain that Chudley held Mr Ward responsible for his recent business difficulties and the ending of his relationship.

"In 2009 James Ward had been instructed by a man called Christopher Sear over a building dispute he had with Michael Chudley," Mr Mousley said.

"Michael Chudley had been engaged to carry out extensive works on his property in Surrey.

"There had been a protracted court case. Michael Chudley had unsuccessfully sued Mr Sear, who in return had successfully sued Michael Chudley."

Mr Mousley said that in June 2012 the respective parties had been informed that a court date had been fixed for July 23 to discuss legal costs.

"There is evidence of a number of sources to show that Michael Chudley blamed James Ward for the outcome of the proceedings," the prosecutor said.

"He had made threats to him, including threats to kill during 2012.

"In addition on one occasion while in the Lamb public house in Devizes, Michael Chudley told someone he knew to keep an eye on the newspapers.

"Notes found at the Royal Oak [one of the pubs where Chudley was renting a room] make reference to James Ward and there having been a conspiracy against Michael Chudley.

"Michael Chudley also blamed James Ward for the house being repossessed and for the separation from Francine Whale."

Mr Mousley said Chudley told people in the Royal Oak they would not see him again.

On the day of the killing, he parked his car on double yellow lines outside MGW Law.

"Chudley stopped about 3ft away from Daphne Courtney," Mr Mousley said.

"He was carrying a sawn-off shotgun in his right hand, pointed downwards. He appeared agitated and his voice was aggressive. He told Daphne Courtney to take him immediately to James Ward, not to speak to anybody or pick up the phone, or he would shoot.

"Daphne Courtney was terrified and didn't know what to do and she went in front of Michael Chudley upstairs.

"James Ward was talking on the phone to a client. Michael Chudley walked in, raised the gun in his right hand, pointed it and fired once. He didn't appear to cock it or make any attempt to remove the safety catch.

"James Ward had been standing behind his desk on the telephone when he was shot. His chair was heard to move back and then it went silent."

Mr Mousley said Mr Ward's wife, Nicola Morris, a partner in MGW Law, ran outside to raise the alarm.

A man sat in his car heard Ms Morris say: "He's got a gun."

The court heard that the force of the shotgun blast at Mr Ward - who at this point had stood up from his chair - blew out a window of his first floor office.

"Michael Chudley was seen to come out of the building, walk to his car, apparently calmly, carrying the shotgun, and to drive away, apparently normally," Mr Mousley said.

Witnesses described seeing Mr Ward lying on the floor behind his desk with a massive head injury.

Paramedics, including one who was off-duty, went to Mr Ward's aid. He was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol and placed in a medically induced coma.

Mr Ward deteriorated and died on July 22.

After the shooting, Chudley drove to his former home in the village of Rowde.

Two workmen at the house saw him carrying the sawn-off shotgun and thought he appeared "on edge" and "confused". They locked themselves inside the house and called police.

Before the police arrived, Chudley called his ex-partner.

"He called her on his phone and he said to her, 'I've shot Ward and it's all your fault'," Mr Mousley told jurors.

When officers arrived, Chudley told them: "I shot him because he made our lives a misery."

Mr Mousley said: "He also told the officers he had acquired the gun 15 years earlier from a builder and had been a champion shot."

On the way to Melksham police station, Chudley asked: "Which jail will I go to, Oxford?"

He also told police he had written to newspapers and then Justice Secretary Ken Clarke.

"He asked how the officers had found him so quickly and if the car was bugged," Mr Mousley said.

Later, Chudley told police: "That's what this is about. This solicitor strung this court case out for four years and we can't pay the mortgage.

"I shall never see the light again - attempted murder, unlicensed shotgun - and to be honest I don't want to."

After Chudley was charged on July 4 with attempted murder, he told police that he blamed Mr Ward for making him bankrupt and for "dishonestly" conducting the court case against him.

Mr Mousley explained that a psychiatrist instructed by the defence would give evidence to say that Chudley was suffering from a personality disorder that affected his mind at the time Mr Ward died and therefore was guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

"However, another psychiatrist, Dr John Sandford, has provided a second opinion which contradicts that," Mr Mousley said.

"He agrees Mr Chudley has a personality disorder but this was not of a type that would prevent him from understanding what he was doing or from acting in a rational way or from exercising self-control."

Mr Mousley added: "At the time of the shooting his actions were planned, premeditated and he continued to act in such a way after the shooting - even explaining to officers why he shot James Ward.

"It is Dr Sandford's opinion that this killing was simply revenge, rooted in anger and resentment and not as a result of mental illness or malfunction, so there is no lesser responsibility for this killing.

"The prosecution say that on July 2 both before and after the shooting he knew exactly what he was doing.

"The prosecution case is that this is a clear and obvious case of murder and nothing else."