Husband of Epsom College head Emma Pattison who killed her and their young daughter 'took his own life with shotgun'
28 February 2023, 15:41 | Updated: 1 March 2023, 01:23
The husband of Epsom College head Emma Pattison, who killed her and their young daughter, took his own life with a shotgun, an inquest has heard.
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George Pattison died of a "shotgun wound to the head", the inquest opening into his death heard at Surrey Coroner's Court.
The 39-year-old is suspected of having murdered his 45-year-old wife and Lettie, seven, before killing himself on February 5 at their home on the grounds of the private school.
Mrs Pattison had just made a distressed call to her sister.
An inquest into Mr Pattison’s death opened on Tuesday.
It heard that Dr Ashley Fegan-Earle, who carried out the post-mortem, found his cause of death to be a "shotgun wound to the head".
"I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to George's wider family at this difficult time," coroner Simon Wickens said as he opened the hearing.
At the time of the deaths, police said they had found a firearm legally registered to Mr Pattison.
It was previously reported he called the police on Mrs Pattison over an altercation but the case was dropped when he refused to continue helping police, dismissing the encounter as trivial.
The tragedy devastated relatives and the school's community.
"To see the esteem in which Emma is held by all who knew her is an enormous comfort," Mrs Pattison's family said.
"She was everything one could hope for in a daughter, sister, mother, wife, friend, teacher and so much more. We are an extremely close family and family was at the centre of Emma and Lettie's universe.
"The Epsom College community had become part of that universe for them both.
"Seven-year-old Lettie was Emma's pride and joy: an adorable, vibrant little girl with a compelling curiosity, a heart-melting smile and an intellect beyond her years.
"The two of them were inseparable and we take comfort in that they will remain so.
"Emma had a warm, welcoming smile and sparkling, blue eyes, full of optimism. Over the last 11 days we've noticed the sky has been bright blue, with at times a warm glow of pink."
