A maintenance engineer who saw murder suspect Michael Chudley on his hands and knees in a field minutes after allegedly shooting Devizes solicitor Jim Ward in his office described the situation as “bizarre” when he gave evidence at the trial today.

James Rogers, managing director of J M Maintenance of Swindon, had been tasked with completing repairs on Kingfisher House in Rowde, the former home of Chudley, and he was working with sub-contractor Scott Metcalf when the pair became aware of strange sounds coming from an adjoining field.

Mr Rogers told judge Mr Justice Bean: “I was intrigued to know what it was. It sounded like a human groan although Scott said it was an animal. The third time I looked I saw someone on their hands and knees. He was attempting to move but he looked exhausted.”

The man, later identified as Chudley, asked for water and then for juice but the water had been turned off in the house and the men had nothing in their van. The men then realised that the object Chudley had in his hand was a gun and they backed off.

They returned to the house and locked themselves in, monitoring Chudley’s movements from an upstairs bedroom.

They just managed to get a signal on a mobile phone and rang the police, and an armed response team of PCs Philip Kibble and Ian Lewis was on the spot in a few minutes.

PC Kibble told the court that the double iron gates to the property were padlocked and they had to climb over a wooden fence to gain entry to the courtyard in front of the house.

Chudley was hiding behind a wooden internal door that was propped up outside the house but he stepped out when challenged and put his sawn-off shotgun down when ordered to.

PC Kibble said he cautioned Chudley who responded: “I shot him because he made our lives a misery.”

Chudely was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder - Mr Ward was still alive at that time - and conveyed to the custody suite at Melksham police station for questioning.

Detective Constable Kevin Keast, who had taken charge of Chudley by this time, told the court that Chudley continued to make statements in the police car despite being advised not to. Chudley is reported to have said: “This guy (Mr Ward) has been driving me mad.”

Then: “What jail will I go to? Oxford?” and finally “How did you find me so soon? Is my car bugged?”

The jury was shown the sawn-off shotgun retrieved from outside Kingfisher House. Firearms officer PC Ian Lewis said the gun was loaded with two cartridges when he examined it. He unloaded it and made gun and ammunition safe.

Chudley, 63, formerly of Kingfisher House, Rowde, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Ward but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibilty; a plea not accepted by the prosecution.
 


 

The trial continues