Emma, Ellette and George Pattison

Richard Travers HM Coroner for Surrey

The inquests into the deaths of Emma and Ellette Pattison were opened on the 2 nd March 2023 and the inquest into the death of George Pattison was opened on the 28 th February 2023. All three inquests were resumed and concluded on 30 th July 2024. The causes of death were: Emma Pattison: 1.a: Shock and Haemorrhage 1.b: Shotgun wounds to chest and abdomen Ellette Pattison: 1.a: Shotgun Wound to the Head George Pattison: 1.a: Shotgun Wound to the Head The conclusions were: Emma Pattison: Unlawfully killed Ellette Pattison: Unlawfully killed George Pattison: Suicide

At a time, unknown between 22:49 hours on the 4 th February 2023 and  00:40 hours on 5 th February 2023 George Pattison shot and killed his  wife Emma Pattison aged 45 years and his daughter Ellette Pattison  aged 7 years. Thereafter he shot himself intra-orally. At the time of her  death, Emma Pattison was the headteacher at Epsom College, Epsom,  Surrey and she lived with her family at the head teacher’s house which was situated within the College park. The firearm which George Pattison used was a shotgun lawfully held  by him under Shotgun Certificate Number [REDACTED]. That  certificate was originally issued by Surrey Police in 2012. In 2016, the  police were notified of a domestic violence incident, whereby it was alleged that Emma Pattison had assaulted George Pattison. The matter  was investigated and, although the certificate was removed  temporarily, it was later returned. There was a renewal application in  December 2016 which was granted and a further application for renewal in 2022, which was also granted. The last renewal application required completion of a new form by the  applicant, providing details of the applicant’s GP and answers by him  to medical questions, which included, have you ever been diagnosed or treated for any of a number of medical conditions, which included  ‘Depression or anxiety’, to which the applicant responded ‘No’. The  inclusion of the GP’s details and medical questions is a safeguard to  ensure that the Licensing Officer is aware of an applicant’s medical  history. (Please see my earlier PFD Report dated 15 th July 2019 relating  to the inquests touching the deaths of Christine and Lucy Lee.) However, George Pattison had consulted an on-line GP and, over the  course of 2019 to 2021, had been prescribed a significant amount of  Propanolol, the purpose of which was to assist with the symptoms of  anxiety. It is unknown whether knowledge of that medical history on  the part of the Licensing Officer would have affected the renewal of the shotgun certificate to Mr Pattison. Further, as set out above, in 2016 there was an allegation of assault  made by Mr Pattison against Mrs Pattison. It would appear that, at the  time, no consideration was given as to whether this might have been an example of coercive controlling behaviour on the part of Mr Pattison.  However, there was evidence within the papers of subsequent domestic abuse / coercive controlling behaviour on the part of Mr  Pattison towards Mrs Pattison. That evidence does not appear to have  come to attention of the Licensing Officer at the time of Mr Pattison’s  most recent application for renewal of the licence.

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters that  gave rise to concerns that circumstances creating a risk of other deaths  will continue to exist in the future unless action is taken. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows.  –

1. An applicant for a shotgun certificate is able to obtain

medication from an on-line doctor without the knowledge of  their GP, giving rise to a risk that a licensing authority might  grant a shotgun certificate to an applicant who has a relevant  previous medical history about which the authority is not aware.

1. In consulting an on-line doctor, it is possible for an applicant for

a shotgun certificate to avoid the current safeguards relating to  full disclosure of their previous and current medical history.

1. Consideration should be given as to how a licensing authority  can obtain full and accurate disclosure of an applicant’s history of coercive controlling behaviour towards another / others.

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe that those people identified in the first section of this report  have power to take such action.