THE step-daughter of double murderer John Lowe has slammed police — for
returning his guns to him months before he blasted her mum and sister to
death.
Stacy Banner told how Lowe, 82 — facing
life in prison after being convicted yesterday — pointed his shotgun at
her head and told her he would kill her.
She told cops about the threat and the puppy breeder had his seven rifles
and gun licence confiscated — but they were handed back to him.
Seven months later Lowe shot dead his partner Christine Lee, 66, and her
daughter Lucy, 40 — who had made a desperate 999 call to cops before trying
to save her mum at Lowe’s farm in Farnham, Surrey.
Stacy, 38, said: “John Lowe pulled the trigger but it was Surrey Police who
put the gun in his hands. They should not be allowed to escape their
responsibility.
“They thought he was a frail old man — but he certainly wasn’t the day he shot
my mum and sister. The police have admitted to me that they made mistakes.”
Tragic grandmother-of-two Christine met Lowe at his farm after she went to buy
a puppy for Stacy’s 11th birthday.
They embarked on an on-off relationship, with Stacy and graphic designer Lucy
spending large amounts of time at the farm.
This was despite dysfunctional Lowe also having his other long-term love, Sue
Wilson, living under the same roof.
Stacy said: “He could be nice but he could also be extremely aggressive. We
learnt to duck.”
Lowe was fined and disqualified from keeping a breeding establishment after a
BBC probe into the trade of sick animals in 2008.
In March 2013 Sue died of pancreatic cancer, aged 85.
Days later Stacy was washing up when she heard a click. She turned round to
see Lowe pointing his shotgun at her.
Stacy, who lives with husband Andy, 33, daughter Elouise, six, and son London,
four, in Aldershot, Hants, said: “He told me he was going to kill me. He
said ‘I’ll blow you in half’. I ran for my life — just like my sister did.”
Cops took Lowe’s shotguns and cartridges on March 24, 2013, but returned the
haul to him in July, after the complaint was withdrawn.
Guildford crown court heard Lucy made a “frantic” 999 call on February 23 this
year saying Lowe had killed her mother and she was “running for her life”.
She was shot twice after bravely telling the operator: “He shot my mum. I’m
gonna go back for him but I’ll die.”
Armed police surrounded Lowe’s farm but found the pair dead alongside four
shot dogs.
At the scene Lowe told cops the women needed to be “put down.”
He later insisted he shot them both by accident.
Christine was found dead in the living room and Lucy on the garden steps —
both having been gunned down at close range. Lucy, from Virginia Water,
Surrey, had been shot in the back of the head.
Lowe denied two charges of murder and a third of possessing a firearm with
intent to endanger life but was found guilty of all charges.
The court heard Lowe revealed he would have “sorted out” Stacy as well, but
she had kids.
He also increased her pain by winking at her from the dock.
Stacy said: “When you lose your family in one day — it is the worst pain. I
think my mum was leaving him and that is why he snapped. Hearing my sister’s
999 call was horrific. I broke down.
“The courage of her final words inspire me. She was so brave. My mum was
such a strong woman and to me she was perfect.
“I feel like this is justice. I could not even look at John Lowe when he gave
evidence. The way he winked at me made me feel sick.
“The man I used to call dad is evil. I hope he is in a nasty prison for the
rest of his life and he sees their faces like I do every night.”
The crusading mum now wants to try to tighten gun laws to prevent a similar
tragedy — branding it Lucy’s Law after her sister.
She has already been to Westminster to tell Home Office chiefs what she wants
— an increase in the £50 cost of a gun licence, frozen since 2001, for a
start.
Stacy said: “He held a shotgun licence despite the police being repeatedly
warned by me and others about the danger he posed to society — allowing him
to kill and kill again.
“If the gun laws are not tightened, something like this will happen again.”
Lowe will be sentenced on Friday.