Crime
Accused farmer: shotgun claims ‘a total fabrication’
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| ACCUSED: Farmer Tony Whitehead denies the allegation |
A FARMER accused of putting
his estranged wife in fear of her
life by aiming a shotgun at her
has described the allegation as "a
total fabrication".
Tony Whitehead yesterday
gave evidence on the third day of
his trial at Teesside Crown Court
and dismissed parts of former
wife Sharon's story as "complete
lies".
The 46-year-old said he believed
she made up the allegation
to create a "bargaining chip" for
their divorce to help her get a better
financial settlement.
Mr Whitehead had been served
with divorce papers by his wife
three months before the alleged
incident at their farm, near Darlington,
last August.
It has been claimed that he was
in a rage after she had a night out
with her sister and friends, and
accused the 40-year-old of having
an affair.
The jury has heard that Mr
Whitehead sent her a string of
menacing text messages, and in
one he threatened to burn all of
her clothes.
Mr Whitehead admitted making
the threat but said he would
never have done it and it was "tit
for tat" after his wife had cut up
his clothes months earlier.
The court has heard hours of
mud-slinging from both sides
and prosecutor Paul Newcombe
yesterday said the trial had been
more like a divorce hearing.
Cross-examining Mr Whitehead,
Mr Newcombe accused him
of "letting yourself down very
badly" on the night of the alleged
incident.
Mr Newcombe accused Mr
Whitehead of having a temper he
was trying to hide, but the
farmer, a twice-divorced fatherof-
three, denied it.
He insisted he had not snapped
when his wife returned home and
denied he had ever touched the
Greener 12-gauge shotgun that
night.
The jury saw video footage
from a police helicopter which
had been called to Lea Close
Farm in Great Stainton, by
mother-of-five Mrs Whitehead.
Mr Whitehead claimed the
video showed him in a composed
and relaxed mood outside the
farmhouse and his wife happy to
talk to him.
He also told the jury that despite
his arrest and bail conditions
not to approach his wife,
they had two days out with their
daughter on her insistence.
Asked by his barrister, Chris
Morrison, if she was in fear during
the day-trips, Mr Whitehead
said: "No, she was totally happy.
She orchestrated the meetings."
Mrs Whitehead claims her husband
"lost the plot" and aimed
the shotgun at her when she returned
home from the night out
on August 20.
Mr Whitehead has pleaded
guilty to possessing a firearm
without a certificate, but denies
possessing a firearm with intent
to cause fear of violence, and his
trial continues today.
10:47am Friday 9th May 2008
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