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Last Updated: Monday, 10 May 2004, 20:23 GMT 21:23 UK
Father's blame over pub killing
will davies
Davies had made repeated threats to kill Ms Evans
A father has blamed the police and mental health authorities for failing to prevent his daughter's murder by a man who had repeatedly threatened to kill her.

Landlady Caroline Evans, 27, was six months pregnant when she was shot dead in the Red Lion pub in Llangadog, west Wales, last February.

The body of farmer Will Davies - said to be "obsessed" with her - was found lying next to her after turning the gun on himself.

The inquest heard on Monday that in a statement made to police, Ms Evans had said: "Will told me: 'I won't see 60 and you won't see 28.'

"Will said: 'I will blow your brains out, we'll go together.'"

"I asked him: 'Are you threatening me?' and he replied :'I'm not threatening you I'm telling you'."

The court heard that Davies was a regular customer at the Red Lion and had repeated threats to kill Ms Evans for no apparent reason.

Caroline Evans
Caroline Evans was six months pregnant when she was shot
The farmer had been taken to court just months previously for threatening Miss Evans with a shotgun, but charges of making threats to kill were dropped in favour of lesser charges at Ammanford Magistrates Court.

Some time later as Ms Evans opened up for business in February of last year, Davies shot her at point blank range before turning the gun on himself.

Giving evidence at the inquest, her father David Evans told the jury that doctors, police and the CPS could and should have done more to prevent her death.

"If any of the three had issued more appropriate recommendations then the tragic outcome would not have ensued," he said.

A retired vet, Mr Evans called for an inquiry after the deaths, saying the more serious charge should have been pursued.

Barmaid Jane Southard told how Ms Evans was harassed by Davies who would often park outside the pub.

He was obsessed with her and would often sit at the bar and stare
Barmaid Jane Southard

"He claimed he was in a sexual relationship with her but I'm sure he was not. She and I were very close and she would have told me if she was having an affair with him."

Ms Southard, from Llangadog, told the inquest the father of the baby was a pub landlord from another part of Wales with whom Ms Evans had had a relationship on a publicans' trip to Paris.

She the told the court how she made the grim discovery of her dead friend's body, lying in a pool of blood.

Also giving evidence on Monday, farmer Nigel Bruce said his friend, Mr Davies, had stopped taking his psychiatric medication in the days leading up to the shootings.

"Two days before the killings Mr Davies said he was complaining of a headache and had stopped taking his medication," he explained.

"I saw him again the next day. He was ranting and raving and said "if you see that bitch Caroline tell her I will slit her throat'. "

Mr Bruce said he advised Davies to go to the doctor, but he refused.

He added that Davies had earlier claimed he was having an affair with Miss Evans. He said: "I remember him saying the baby could be his. But I don't think he had a sexual relationship with her. I think a lot of it was in his mind and a figment of his imagination."

The inquest in Carmarthen continues and is expected to last four days.

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