St Leonards double killing: Gunman 'cold and professional'

Craig Savage appeared cold and professional when he confronted police, the court heard

A man accused of "executing" his wife and her mother pointed a rifle at a shooting-range official and told him: "It's not going to end well for anyone", a court has heard.

Craig Savage waited until he was the only customer at the firing range in St Leonards, East Sussex, Lewes Crown Court was told.

Then he stole the rifle and magazine and left, witness Ryan Graves said.

Mr Savage, 35, denies murdering Michelle Savage and Heather Whitbread.

He also denies possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Mrs Savage, 32, his estranged wife, was shot seven times and her mother, Heather Whitbread, who was 53, six times at the family home in the town's Bexhill Road on 16 March this year.

Their pet dog, Zeus, was also shot dead.

The prosecution said the semi-automatic rifle Mr Savage took from the 1066 Target Sports centre was discharged close to each woman "in an execution-type manner".

Mr Graves, the range's deputy manager, told the court he became alarmed at "a look in his eye", and Mr Savage went on to mention "police assisted suicide".

The two women were shot dead at the house in St Leonards in March

He said the defendant stood up with the rifle and said he did not want to hurt him, as he was "a nice guy", but told him he should "step away and let me go out - I want to go out and up the A21".

He added that Mr Savage said: "It's not going to end well for anyone", before leaving with the M4 semi-automatic .22 rifle and two of the large magazines.

A police officer who later confronted Mr Savage in the road near the house told the court he believed he was going to shoot him.

"He wasn't making unnecessary movements. He was cold and professional in the way he moved," Sgt Thomas Milne said.

Another officer, PC Jayan Shah, told the court he dived for cover, and said: "I was completely convinced that he had fired a single round in our direction."

Mr Savage has pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a firearm.

The case continues.