William Howard DOWLING and Victoria Elaine ROSE · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 07 March 2013 I opened the Inquests into the deaths of William Howard DOWLING and Victoria Elaine ROSE aged 59 and 58 respectively at the time of their deaths. On 14 January 2014 I concluded their Inquest. The conclusion reached at the end of the inquest were that Victoria was unlawfully killed and William, known as Bill, took his own life although I did add was suffering with depression and general order anxiety.

I found that the cause of death of Victoria was
1a) Shotgun wounds to the head

and in the respect of Bill I found that the cause of his death was
1a) Shotgun wound to the head.

Bill had sought professional medical help on 12 February 2013. He was having difficulties at work and the evidence also pointed to him never really coming to terms with the death of his mother in 2011. He saw his General Practitioner a total of 7 times between then and his death on 02 March 2013. Bill was experiencing insomnia and the medication focussed on addressing that together with depression and anxiety. As a result of feedback from Bill to his General Practitioner the medication was modified but the post mortem report following Bill’s death found that he had not been taking his medication as prescribed by his GP. The last contact with his GP was on the day before his death and in evidence ███████ indicated that there had been a degree of improvement as regards the anxiety and that they were then going to be focussing on medication for depression as it appeared that Bill had voluntarily ceased taking the anti-depressive medication.

On the morning of Saturday 02 March 2013, Bill just after 8 o’clock telephoned his ex-girlfriend Victoria Rose who had been suffering Bill through his illness, complaining of bleeding from various parts of his body and coughing up blood. None of these symptoms were proven at post mortem. Victoria arrived at Bill’s home at 4 Moonrakers Estate, London Road, Devizes, Wiltshire shortly before 8.40. She entered the property and the evidence pointed her confronting Bill armed with a shotgun. He then proceeded to take aim and as Victoria attempted to leave the property she was shot twice in the back of the head in the porch area of the front of the property. Bill then reloaded the shotgun and shot himself in the head.

At the time of his death Bill had retired from Wiltshire Police where he served as an Inspector at the end of 2007 before becoming an MOD employee in January 2008.

(1) During the course of the hearing I heard evidence from ███████ Wiltshire Police Firearms Licensing Manager, who indicated to me that at the present moment in time aside from a letter (copy attached marked A – since July 2011) which is sent to General Practitioners when firearms licence applications are successful or where they are renewed, giving a doctor the opportunity to relay relevant information in relation to their patient within 14 days, there is currently no memorandum of understanding or legislation that allows doctors the ability during the duration of the term of a firearms license, which stands at 5 years, to report matters which may have a bearing on that patient’s suitability to hold a firearms license and possess firearms. Doctors of course are bound at the present moment in time by patient confidentiality. I am concerned that this restriction may impede the firearms authority from making crucial decisions as regards individuals possessing firearms and continuing to hold a firearms licence in circumstances which, at present, may not come before the attention of the Firearms Authority unless the matter has ordinarily come before the police’s attention as a consequence of other aspects of their duties.

In evidence from ███████ she made me aware that Wiltshire Police through the cooperation of NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group and two Doctor’s Surgeries were piloting a scheme (directly prompted Victoria’s two sons as a result of his tragedy) effective from September 2013, to allow an increase in the sharing of information in particular having a bearing on the suitability of an individual to hold a firearms licence. She indicated that as a result of this pilot scheme an individual’s firearms were taken away at short notice as a result of the information received from the General Practitioner. This pilot scheme seems to me to be an utterly sensible idea although at present it is a pilot scheme and is not a national concept. This ought to be urgently reviewed.

(2) I am also concerned that any review arising out of this letter should not be singularly restricted as regards sharing information solely related to the suitability of somebody to hold a firearms licence. Information sharing with a view to public safety should be a reason for General Practitioners to make relevant authority(s) aware and I have in mind here the example of a driver whose eyesight is failing and where advice given from a GP to inform the DVLA, however that driver chooses not to do so as it will mean their licence may be revoked. If it is a matter of public safety then I am concerned at present moment in time that confidentiality appears to outweigh the concept of public safety.

(3) I am also concerned as regards decisions being made relating to firearms licensing in respect of current employees within that licensing organisation’s (ie the Police) employment or even former employees. Licensing and the determination of such matters should be seen to be transparent and independent. In evidence although relating to matters some 16 years previously there were issues raised by family concerning complaints by Mr Dowling’s ex wife at the time they were getting divorced that appeared to have been “brushed under the carpet” by the police in respect of which Bill was a serving officer. In any event those concerns were not dealt with satisfactorily from the complainant’s perspective. I am concerned that to have a firearms licensing authority dealing with applications from existing police employees or even former employees of that police force is open to possible abuse. Bill Dowling was an exceptionally well known and respected former police employee and my concern is that such matters relative to firearms are so serious that consideration ought to be given to introducing an independent layer so as to ensure independence and transparency.