A coroner has ruled that an elderly husband unlawfully killed his wife before taking his own life in a tragic murder-suicide at their home, which also served as a shooting school.
A Marriage Unravels in Tragedy
Robert Jobson, 84, shot his 69-year-old wife Rosemary twice as she got out of her car at their property in Thornton Curtis, North Lincolnshire, on July 14, 2023. He then went to a lean-to shed at the side of the house and shot himself.
The couple, who were both accomplished competitive shooters and had represented England, were found dead at White Lodge on College Road. They had met years earlier while hunting on horseback and had established the White Lodge Shooting School at their home.
However, the inquest at Cleethorpes Town Hall heard their marriage had run into serious trouble. On July 7, 2023, Rosemary reported to Humberside Police that her husband had assaulted her. Robert Jobson was arrested the following day but was released on conditional bail, ordered not to contact his wife or return to their home.
History of Fear and a Fatal Delusion
The court was told that Robert Jobson was labouring under the delusion that his wife was having an affair with a mutual friend, Peter Hrynyk, with whom she had been on holiday. In a statement read to the court, Mr Hrynyk described their relationship as purely platonic and said Rosemary had felt "very scared and vulnerable".
Rosemary had already taken steps to protect herself. On June 20, she contacted police to say she was divorcing her husband and expressed concerns about the guns in the house. All firearms were removed from the property three days later.
Detective Inspector Samantha Chester confirmed the sequence of events leading to the assault report and arrest. The inquest also heard that Robert Jobson had a history of mental health issues, including an overdose in 2021 after a row with his wife, and had undergone psychiatric assessments following his July arrest.
A Premeditated and Shocking End
Despite the bail conditions, the tragedy unfolded when Rosemary returned to the house to collect clothes. A neighbour later discovered her body. A post-mortem examination found she died from gunshot wounds to the head and neck.
A ballistics report revealed she was first shot from several metres away, then again from less than a metre. Robert Jobson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the neck, with a shotgun recovered near his body.
Coroner Jayne Wilkes stated the case was "of a particularly shocking nature" and concluded that, on the balance of probabilities, Rosemary died from a deliberate and intentional act by her husband, ruling it an unlawful killing. She added there was evidence of premeditation. Robert Jobson's death was ruled a suicide.
The coroner referenced a statement from Rosemary's daughter, Paula O'Donnell, who had urged her mother to leave. Rosemary had responded, "It's OK, he loves me, he wouldn't hurt me." Ms O'Donnell said her mother's death had "left a massive hole in my heart forever."
Addressing the families, Coroner Wilkes said: "What happened that day changed all of your lives forever. I extend my heartfelt sympathies to each and every one of you."
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