Dog breeder John Lowe found guilty of double murder in Surrey puppy farm

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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An elderly dog breeder has been found guilty at Guildford Crown Court on Wednesday of murdering his partner and her daughter at his puppy farm in Surrey.

John Lowe, 82, from Farnham, had denied two counts of murder related to the shooting of his partner Christine Lee, 66, and her daughter Lucy, 41 and a firearms charge.

The bodies of the victims were discovered at Lowe’s dog breeding farm in Waverley Lane, Tilford, on 23 February.

During his trial, Lowe had told that their deaths were “a terrible accident” after a struggle over the gun as he went to destroy some dogs.

But the jury panel comprised of six men and six women convicted him of their murders after hearing that, following his arrest, he told the police he had “put down” the women.

The court also heard that Lucy made a “desperate” 999 call to police telling that Lowe had killed her mother before she told of going back to confront him once again after which she was also shot dead.

Christine’s daughter, Stacy Banner has said: “The shotgun was one of seven that had been returned to him by the police only months before he used it to kill.”

Ms Banner has added: “John Lowe pulled the trigger but it was the Surrey Police who put the gun in his hands.”

Surrey Police had apologised to the family of victims after Lowe’s shotguns were returned to him in July 2013 following their confiscation the previous March.

According to two reports, the force has indicated the decision as “flawed” and vowed to “co-operate fully” with an Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation.

A Surrey Police spokesperson has stated: “Three Surrey Police employees remain subject to a gross misconduct investigation and, as a result of the two independent reports, the IPCC have re-determined that going forward, this will now be an independent investigation led by them. We continue to co-operate fully with their investigation.

“We are also instigating the recommendations from both reports and reviewing all cases where licences and firearms have been removed and returned to their holders in the last three years.”

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