Newport man 'shot wife dead in jealous rage' Published duration 4 June 2019

A farmer shot his estranged wife dead in front of her daughter after a jealous rage, a court has heard.

Andrew Hooper tracked Cheryl Hooper's car, spotted her with a man, returned to his farm to collect a shotgun then "ambushed" her, a jury was told.

Mr Hooper, 46, of Newport, Shropshire, denies murdering 51-year-old Mrs Hooper with a shotgun on 26 January 2018.

Jurors heard he turned the weapon on himself and has now lost the ability to speak due to severe facial injuries.

Mr Hooper, who owned six licensed guns, shot Mrs Hooper in the neck from about 1.5m away because he was "consumed with anger and jealousy" after she left him at the end of 2017, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

David Mason QC, prosecuting, said when Mr Hooper, from Guild Lane, saw his wife with another man "the straw had broken the camel's back" and he carried out a "cold-blooded, ruthless and callous execution".

Mr Hooper "ambushed Cheryl outside her house", fled the scene, returned home and turned the gun on himself, Mr Mason added.

The jury was shown CCTV of the defendant carrying an item under a blanket to his Land Rover which Mr Mason said "had a shape consistent with a shotgun".

The trial continues.