St Leonards 'crazy ex burst in with gun', jury told

Jurors heard Craig Savage smashed through a window and started shooting

A woman has told jurors how her sister and mother were shot dead at their St Leonards home by her brother-in-law.

Craig Savage, 35, of no fixed address, denies murdering his estranged wife Michelle Savage and Heather Whitbread on 16 March, at Lewes Crown Court.

A 999 call was played to the court in which Raven Whitbread told the operator he had burst in with a gun.

In the call she is heard to say: "My sister's crazy ex has just smashed through the window and is shooting."

Ms Whitbread, who was then seven months pregnant, told the court she was just sitting down with her mother and sister to eat a Chinese takeaway at about 19:40 when they heard glass breaking.

"Mum and Michelle both jumped up and told me to run," she said.

"Michelle went towards the window when he was coming through.

"I climbed over the back of the sofa and out of the room."

Heather Whitbread (left) and Michelle Savage (right) told Ms Whitbread to run, jurors were told

"Did you see Mr Savage do anything?" prosecutor Benjamin Aina QC asked.

She replied: "I looked upwards and I saw Craig pointed the gun towards me. After she [her mother] shouted at him, he aimed towards her and fired."

She said: "[The] next thing I remember is Michelle running towards me saying 'no no no no' and by this point I'm out into the hallway with the dogs - then I see her on the floor.

"I saw her put her arms up in front of her and scream... while Craig stood over her and shot her a number of times."

The two women were shot at their home in St Leonards

Defending, Alan Kent QC said Ms Whitbread had not said he pointed the gun at her during her police interview, but she replied: "I said to the police he may have pointed the gun."

Ms Whitbread said she ran to hide with her grandmother Patricia Groves, who also lived there, and dialled 999.

In the call played to the jury, Ms Whitbread is heard to say: "My sister's crazy ex has just smashed through the window and is shooting."

When the call handler asked what she meant, she said: "I don't know it's just bang bang bang... he has something in his hands."

Mr Savage has claimed he tripped and the gun went off accidentally after a struggle with Ms Savage.

He has said he did not intend to hurt his estranged wife but planned to kidnap her and hoped police would shoot him dead in front of her.

The trial continues.