.John Knott shot wife Anne dead and then himself at Herefordshire cottage
- .He cared for wife, who had Alzheimer's Disease that was getting worse
- .Couple are believed to have 'made a pact' to die together after Mr Knott took his wife out of a care home because she 'hated' her four days there
- .Mr Knott had also been fighting plans to build gypsy camp near their home
John Knott shot his terminally ill wife Anne dead before turning the shotgun on himself after the couple apparently made a pact to die together
A retired company director shot his terminally ill wife dead before he killed himself after the couple had made a 'pact to die together.'
John Knott, 71, killed his wife Anne, 70, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, at their 300-year-old cottage in Pow Green, Bosbury, Herefordshire, and then turned the gun on himself.
Mr Knott had been dealing with the stress of nursing his wife as well as fighting plans for a proposed gipsy camp at a paddock near to their home, which he was concerned would devalue their £500,000 property.
Herefordshire Coroners' Court heard that the 71-year-old had been devoted to his wife of 37 years, nursing and cleaning her as she struggled to cope with Alzheimer's. She was not seen for 18 months after her condition worsened.
She was put into a nursing home in August 2014 but 'hated' her four days there, and Mr Knott brought her home days before she died. Friends of the couple said they were 'lost' without each other and they believed they had made a pact to die together.
Others said they felt the retired director had felt guilty about letting his wife down when he moved her into a care home.
The couple were found by Jane Conway - Mrs Knott's daughter from a previous relationship - along with police, lying in the basement of their home. There was only one key to the door, found on a table inside.
Elizabeth Keatley, a friend of the Knotts for four years, told the inquest: 'He [Mr Knott] would do absolutely anything for her within his powers and sometimes outside his powers.
'He did everything. He kept the house. He cooked. He cleaned. He nursed her.
'She loved him too.
'Mrs Conway (Mrs Knott's daughter) rang me to tell me she was being put into a nursing home. It was the first contact I had had with her.
'The nursing home was in Worcester. We had quite a chat on the phone about it in August 2014. I think we agreed that not only did her mother need care, her father needed care as well. John needed distracting.'
The inquest, at Hereford Town Hall, heard Mrs Knott 'hated' her four days in Latimer Court nursing home in Worcester.
Mrs Keatley added: 'I understand Anne hated it and she possibly made her feelings quite well-known.
Mr Knott was said to be fighting plans to build a gipsy camp in a paddock (outlined in red) close to their 300-year-old cottage - the second traveller site proposed close to their home in two years
The retired company director was concerned the gipsy camp would affect the value of their £500,000 home
Herefordshire Coroners' Court heard that 71-year-old Mr Knott, pictured, had been devoted to his wife of 37 years, nursing and cleaning her as she struggled to cope with Alzheimer's
'John hated life without her and it was a totally impossible situation for them to be apart and for Anne to be in care. He and her daughter were taking her the following day and that there she would stay for a week or so.
'He was getting to the end of his tether. He said he lost his wife and she physically was not there. She was not mentally, emotionally there as well.
'He was lost without her. It is my opinion that some time ago they made a pact to die together.
'I came back from holiday at the end of July and went to see Anne and John.. John had lost a lot of weight and he was quite agitated.
'He got too much to do, had too many things running through his head. I think he was not coping, but he was in a way.'
The couple moved to the idyllic area of Bosbury from Droitwich in Worcestershire after Mr Knott's retirement in 2006. They were both members of local community groups and societies, including a ramblers club.
Mrs Knott helped put together the village newsletter. Mr Knott had previously worked as a church warden.
Colin Westwood (left), brother-in-law of Mr Knott, was at the inquest at Hereford Coroners' Court today
Mrs Knott's GP Dr Putney Dye told the inquest: 'Mr Knott had always impressed me with his complete devotion to his wife and willingness to do anything to care for her.
'In 2012, she started complaining of memory loss. The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease was in January 2013.
'By February 2014, it was clear her memory was deteriorating rapidly. Her confusion became worse when she spent time in hospital.'
Mrs Knott was taken to a care home the week before she died but Mr Knott brought her home after four days because she reportedly hated it.
Karen Hancox, manager of Latimer Court Care Home, told the inquest: "He worshipped her.
"She was confused initially [when she moved in]. She was unsettled and paced around.
"She was unaware of the time of day, even at night.
"Mr Knott was concerned about planning permission near his home and he was concerned about Anne's health. I think he felt he let her down."
Mr Knott struggled to cope with his wife's ailing health as well as plans to build a gipsy camp on land 300 yards from the couple's home. This was to be the second traveller site within a small radius after plans were approved in 2012 for a traveller camp on the other side of their property, separated from them by woodland.
Two caravans and a day room were installed on the Oakfield Nash End Lane site.
Police confirmed the retired Managing Director of Ashford Construction in Birmingham, had expressed 'concern' at plans for the second gipsy camp.
As well as preparing a large three-inch thick file outlining his opposition, he led a village campaign in a desperate bid to persuade the council to reject the plans.
Mr Knott had written to the council expressing his concerns that the camp would go right past his home
Detective Sergeant Tim Powell, of West Mercia Police CID, said when they got to the cottage they examined the workshop and found the only key inside by a workshop bench.
He said: 'I would say that from the scene and the circumstances around it the person that shot Mrs Knott was Mr Knott and Mr Knott turned the gun on himself.
'That is my professional opinion. There is no way Mrs Knott could have held a gun of that size in her condition.'
DS Powell described Mr Knott as an organised note keeper who had managed the estate well.
He added: 'Mr and Mrs Knott lived in an idyllic cottage in Bosbury and their cottage neighboured onto a small field that was owned by other people. Planning permission had been put in to build other quarters on that property.
'He did not agree with the planning permission. He had worked in construction and he set about a very professional and comprehensive argument against this planning permission.
'It was to build a wash house and some caravans for local families.
The paddock - lined in blue - was pinpointed as the potential site for the traveller camp (outlined in pink)
'I would say that having looked and examined Mr Knott's circumstances it was a concern to him. He clearly set out his objections and had got other people in the village to join him in that.'
Just six weeks before the deaths of the couple Mr Knott wrote a letter, published on Herefordshire County Council's website, objecting to plans to convert the field into a one-family site featuring a toilet block and septic tank.
It said: 'There are at least eight settled (traveller) families within a one-mile radius of the proposed site. The area cannot sustain any more.'
Police confirmed no suicide note was found at the scene in August. A single barrel shotgun, owned lawfully by Mr Knott, was found.
A statement read out to the inquest on behalf of Mrs Knott's daughter and Mr Knott's step-daughter Jane Conway, said: "They met when I was about ten and married one year later.
"About three years ago Mrs Knott became forgetful. She lost her ability to drive and about two years ago she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
"She started to have hallucinations and at times did not recognise her family.
"Mum and dad adored one another. I was shocked but not surprised. Mum did not want to continue to live like that."
Deputy Herefordshire Coroner Roland Wooderson recorded a verdict of unlawful killing for Mrs Knott and suicide for her husband.
He said: 'Mr Knott was coming to the end of his tether.
'In Mrs Keatley's opinion, Mr and Mrs Knott made a pact to die together.
'I am satisfied Mrs Knott was killed unlawfully. From the evidence I have seen I am satisfied Mr Knott took his own life.'
The couple's daughter Jane Conway, 48, from Worcester, did not attend the hearing.
Mr Knott's brother-in-law, Colin Westwood, who attended but refused to comment afterwards.
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