Mansion Arson Attack in UK

Sully · 02-09-2008 9:48am #1

Has anybody else been following the news about the mansion in the UK that was burned down? From reading the news, it seems the father went around and killed all the animals he had, including the dogs, killed his family and set the whole place alight blocking Fire-fighters from entering. It looks like he has killed himself also.

Various news articles on the BBC from the beginning to the discovery of the bodies. How can a father kill every single living thing he owns, including his wife and daughter - all over money troubles!

Arson attack family still missing
Det Supt Jon Groves
Det Supt Jon Groves said the house would be searched once it was safe

A couple and their teenage daughter remain unaccounted for after a severe fire at their Shropshire home.

Firefighters were called to the blaze, which is being treated as arson, at Osbaston House, near Maesbrook, shortly before 0500 BST on Tuesday.

Christopher Foster, his wife Jillian and daughter Kirstie remain missing. It is not yet known if they were in the house at the time of the fire.

Police are waiting for the house to be declared safe so they can enter it.

Det Supt Jon Groves from West Mercia's major incident unit appealed for the family or anyone who may have seen them over the Bank Holiday weekend to get in touch as a matter of urgency.

Fire scene
Police have been carrying out checks near the scene

"Officers have not yet been able to get into the house due to the severity of the fire," he said.

"We will be carrying out a search as soon as the building is deemed to be safe.

"The occupants of the house have not been accounted for."

The house is situated off the road between Maesbrook and Knockin and police said the house was well alight when fire crews arrived.

A search of the property is expected to take some time because it is a large site.

The road outside the house has been closed off and forensic officers are at the scene.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7582262.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7583794.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7585338.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7587074.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7589465.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7590650.stm
etc.

At first I thought they did a runner, then body's were found and story's circulated that the husband had death threats. Now it turns out, by the looks, he did it himself.

LouOB · 02-09-2008 10:01am

Very sad story

But just goes to show that women should be left in charge not the men
Sure look at the other stories from Ireland in the last year, two families in Wexford alone with the Daddy's killing the family

Wreck · 02-09-2008 10:03am

LouOB wrote: »

But just goes to show that women should be left in charge not the men
Sure look at the other stories from Ireland in the last year, two families in Wexford alone with the Daddy's killing the family

Yeah, that's the moral of this story. Well done.

Clare Bear · 02-09-2008 10:06am

Yeah it's horrible....I mean even down to shooting their Guinea Pigs? They destroyed literally everything. Apparently some of the CCTV cameras survived the fire so hopefully that will help. Whatever his dodgy money dealings, why go after his wife and child and animals. God knows what they all went through. So sad. Hope whoever did it is caught. I thought police have ruled out that it may be the man himself that did it now at this stage? Well that's what Sky News said lastnight, maybe not.

r3nu4l · 02-09-2008 10:08am

Sully wrote: »

How can a father kill every single living thing he owns, including his wife and daughter - all over money troubles!

Tragic story but I had to laugh at the notion of the man owning his wife and daughter.

Looks like they were 'own3d' by him in the end

/AH response

Seriously, yup, it's a strange one. I can't see or understand why he would do this. Apparently one company was going bust so he set up a new one from the assets he stripped from the first company but it wasn't enough and he was going to lose his house and have to declare bankruptcy as a result.

That leads me to believe that his company either wasn't 'limited' or he borrowed money using the house as a guarantee. Sad and stupid.

What's worse is that there was a photo on the BBC website of the family that was taken while they had lunch at a friends house the day before he did that. In the photo they are all smiling happily away. I'd say he was hiding the extent of the family debt from his family and then just cracked under the strain.

Sully · 02-09-2008 10:09am

Clare Bear wrote: »

Yeah it's horrible....I mean even down to shooting their Guinea Pigs? They destroyed literally everything. Apparently some of the CCTV cameras survived the fire so hopefully that will help. Whatever his dodgy money dealings, why go after his wife and child and animals. God knows what they all went through. So sad. Hope whoever did it is caught.

CCTV showed the father with the gun running between the stable to the main house, apparently after he killed the family. Looks like cold blooded killing to - he killed the daughter as she chatted online according to an article in the telegraph.

ronbyrne2005 · 02-09-2008 10:09am

LouOB wrote: »

Very sad story

But just goes to show that women should be left in charge not the men
Sure look at the other stories from Ireland in the last year, two families in Wexford alone with the Daddy's killing the family

Several women killed themselves and their kids through drowning in Ireland in past few years. Your theory fails.

indough · 02-09-2008 10:10am

LouOB wrote: »

Very sad story

But just goes to show that women should be left in charge not the men
Sure look at the other stories from Ireland in the last year, two families in Wexford alone with the Daddy's killing the family

wow

Clare Bear · 02-09-2008 10:10am

Sully wrote: »

CCTV showed the father with the gun running between the stable to the main house, apparently after he killed the family. Looks like cold blooded killing to - he killed the daughter as she chatted online according to an article in the telegraph.

Really??? Jesus. Hadn't heard that.

Honey-ec · 02-09-2008 10:12am

LouOB wrote: »

Very sad story

But just goes to show that women should be left in charge not the men
Sure look at the other stories from Ireland in the last year, two families in Wexford alone with the Daddy's killing the family

Way to score one for the sisterhood, Lou...

I don't think.

LouOB · 02-09-2008 10:12am

*goes to get gun*

here kitty kitty kitty

Sully · 02-09-2008 10:14am

r3nu4l wrote: »

Tragic story but I had to laugh at the notion of the man owning his wife and daughter.

Looks like they were 'own3d' by him in the end

/AH response

Knew someone would pick me up on that ><

Seriously, yup, it's a strange one. I can't see or understand why he would do this. Apparently one company was going bust so he set up a new one from the assets he stripped from the first company but it wasn't enough and he was going to lose his house and have to declare bankruptcy as a result.

That leads me to believe that his company either wasn't 'limited' or he borrowed money using the house as a guarantee. Sad and stupid.

He owed a hefty sum of money apparently and received a number of death threats. He tried to hire a bodyguard but due to the threat against him, they wouldn't take up the job (according to BBC). Baliefs arrived on the morning of the fire also.

Clare Bear · 02-09-2008 10:16am

Guess he just cracked. Sad

antodeco · 02-09-2008 10:31am

LouOB wrote: »

*goes to get gun*

here kitty kitty kitty

1st

2nd

WindSock · 02-09-2008 10:34am

Sully wrote: »

How can a father kill every single living thing he owns, including his wife and daughter - all over money troubles!

That sort of thing happens more often than it should. Remember the guy and his family in Wexford last year?

Silenceisbliss · 02-09-2008 10:39am

it sounds to me as if he borrowed money from the wrong people. and this was retribution. and making an example of the retruibution that these people were capanle of. scare taktics to others so they dont get fücked over

Itsdacraic · 02-09-2008 11:53am

Could he not have just got a canoe to panamam like that other lad?

Sully · 04-09-2008 10:32pm

No more news on this yet, its obvious the third body is the daughters but they want to carry out some more tests. One of her friends set up a tribute to her on YouTube.. Pretty sad imo.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiQuuNWPv5A
BBC Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7598151.stm

pablomakaveli · 04-09-2008 10:53pm

iv no sympathy for people who do these kind of things regardless of how depressed or under strain they are. if they want to commit suicide fair enough, but to kill innocent family members as well is despicable and downright selfish.:mad:

TequilaMockingBird · 04-09-2008 10:55pm

Sully wrote: »

From reading the news, it seems the father went around and killed all the animals he had, including the dogs, killed his family and set the whole place alight blocking Fire-fighters from entering.

Lol. Oh, and he shot his family too btw...

Posy · 04-09-2008 10:55pm

Totally agree. If he wanted to commit suicide with the strain of his money problems it'd be sad but fair enough. Terrible he had to take his wife and child with him. He obviously thought they would all be better off dead than poor.

iTroll · 04-09-2008 11:01pm

Caderyn wrote: »

He obviously thought they would all be better off dead than poor.

Who wouldn't?

:pac:

Sad state of affairs really. Some peoples moral compasses are quite askew but then again under extreme mental pressure, that being personal, who knows.

TequilaMockingBird · 04-09-2008 11:02pm

This sounds like a case of a mentally ill person believing that his family will be better off dead. Mothers who drive cars into the sea, do it because they believe their child will not be cared for without her.

Heisenberg. · 04-09-2008 11:04pm

This post has been deleted.

TequilaMockingBird · 04-09-2008 11:11pm

The Scientist wrote: »

Then torch everything out of spite of debtors.

I very much doubt that was the case.

Latchy · 04-09-2008 11:16pm

A combination of fear and pride .If his family were threatened and there was no other avenue out of his financial situations he was going to have the final say .It's the mother and daughter i feel so sorry for and it beggers belief indeed that he was willing to carry out such a cold cruel horror show and be his own judge, jury, and executioner .

iTroll · 04-09-2008 11:16pm

sueme wrote: »

This sounds like a case of a mentally ill person believing that his family will be better off dead. Mothers who drive cars into the sea, do it because they believe their child will not be cared for without her.

I think the father thought the same.

Mossy Monk · 04-09-2008 11:23pm

pablomakaveli wrote: »

iv no sympathy for people who do these kind of things regardless of how depressed or under strain they are. if they want to commit suicide fair enough, but to kill innocent family members as well is despicable and downright selfish.:mad:

You know exactly how someone thinks when they do this sort of thing?

TequilaMockingBird · 04-09-2008 11:32pm

iTroll wrote: »

I think the father thought the same.

Me too. Terribly sad.

Tom65 · 05-09-2008 12:05am

There's a name for this as a mental condition. A parent (usually the father) becomes mentally ill (usually due to stress) and decides that death is better for family. People who are saying they've no sympathy for them, please realize you can't really apply our moral standards to someone who this has happened to. It's not like any other murder. They're killing because they think it's what's right to do.

CursedSkeptic · 05-09-2008 12:12am

Said without really moving lips much so words are slightly slurred, to give the effect that the speaker is somewhat bored:

This is just sexy...just really really sexy

(Re: this case)

barnacle · 05-09-2008 12:42am

Sully wrote: »

From reading the news, it seems the father went around and killed all the animals he had

He most certainly did not. He left the horse alive. He said NO to animal cruelty.

pablomakaveli · 05-09-2008 12:55am

Mossy Monk wrote: »

You know exactly how someone thinks when they do this sort of thing?

it doesnt matter what he was thinking, theres no justification for killing an innocent person.

Sully · 05-09-2008 8:45am

barnacle wrote: »

He most certainly did not. He left the horse alive. He said NO to animal cruelty.

A bumper sticker doesn't prove anything.

05-09-2008 9:21am

Sad thing is that with the economic downturn, we're likely to more stories like this over the coming months..

Overheal · 05-09-2008 9:23am

I read the thread title at first and thought marilyn had gone on vacation and snapped.

Sherifu · 05-09-2008 9:35am

LouOB wrote: »

Very sad story

But just goes to show that women should be left in charge not the men
Sure look at the other stories from Ireland in the last year, two families in Wexford alone with the Daddy's killing the family

You win the prize. *slow clap*

Anto McC · 05-09-2008 9:43am

Carlsberg don't do family slaughters...............but Fosters do.

Robbo · 05-09-2008 12:49pm

Anto McC wrote: »

Carlsberg don't do family slaughters...............but Fosters do.

I was at a barbeque in Shropshire recently, but had to leave when they ran out of Fosters.

05-09-2008 2:15pm

Anto McC wrote: »

Carlsberg don't do family slaughters...............but Fosters do.

Ha.

Funny.

Latchy · 07-09-2008 4:26pm

If reports by the deceased womons sister in some sunday newspapers are to go on, the man in question was a horrible onbnoxious egomanic a human being as you will find anywere in the world .He was only obbsesed with money and the trappings it brings .When his lifestyle was slowly dissapearing before his eyes ,rather then loose his (phoney) status in his (shallow) world he destroyed it all .His wife and daughter were just like the house,jeeps,cars ,horses and dogs he kept ,objects of the trappings of wealth .He could have spared them but no .He is the personification of evil

brianthebard · 07-09-2008 4:44pm

pablomakaveli wrote: »

iv no sympathy for people who do these kind of things regardless of how depressed or under strain they are. if they want to commit suicide fair enough, but to kill innocent family members as well is despicable and downright selfish.:mad:

yes,lets not show any sympathy to someone clearly mentally unsound,this will surely help those with mental illness open up,as well as end the stigma attached to it.Well done,your response was so dumb i can't come up with an insult that would do it justice.

GirlInterrupted · 07-09-2008 7:25pm

latchyco wrote: »

If reports by the deceased womons sister in some sunday newspapers are to go on, the man in question was a horrible onbnoxious egomanic a human being as you will find anywere in the world .He was only obbsesed with money and the trappings it brings .When his lifestyle was slowly dissapearing before his eyes ,rather then loose his (phoney) status in his (shallow) world he destroyed it all .His wife and daughter were just like the house,jeeps,cars ,horses and dogs he kept ,objects of the trappings of wealth .He could have spared them but no .He is the personification of evil

Often its an egotisical act, because the perpetrator doesn't want his family to know that he couldn't handle his business/had money troubles. He kills them to protect his percieved image in their eyes.

Of course its also true that the man simply snapped. But don't forget that this isn't just suicide, but murder-suicide.

I'm not saying that's what happened in this case, I don't know much about it to be honest, but while this man may have had his mental balance disturbed, it also seems to have the quality of a spree killing, in that most if not all living things in his world were obliterated.

pablomakaveli · 07-09-2008 10:39pm

brianthebard wrote: »

yes,lets not show any sympathy to someone clearly mentally unsound,this will surely help those with mental illness open up,as well as end the stigma attached to it.Well done,your response was so dumb i can't come up with an insult that would do it justice.

that comment was a disgrace. iv had difficulties myself and can sympathize with people with mental problems. i never once criticised people with mental illnesses or said there was stigma attached but rather i said people who murder innocent people before killing themselves should be criticised.

maybe its more important to criticise the actions of this man so that there is less of a chance something like it will be repeated. it was tragic that he had come to a point where he felt he had to kill himself, but that does not justify killing his wife and daughter who had their whole lives ahead of them.

regardless of what you say i would never think less of someone because they had a mental illness.

Latchy · 08-09-2008 6:06pm

GirlInterrupted wrote: »

Often its an egotisical act, because the perpetrator doesn't want his family to know that he couldn't handle his business/had money troubles. He kills them to protect his percieved image in their eyes.
Of course its also true that the man simply snapped. But don't forget that this isn't just suicide, but murder-suicide.

I'm not saying that's what happened in this case, I don't know much about it to be honest, but while this man may have had his mental balance disturbed, it also seems to have the quality of a spree killing, in that most if not all living things in his world were obliterated.

If he set down to think about the possible downturn in his financial years, or even months ago , did he I wonder plan the horrible scenario or was it an instinctive action on his part ie, he snapped ? .Either way, it takes a very cold calculating type of human being to do such a thing ,even allowing for snapping .He had the last say on everything .His life ,his wife and daughters .

Mansion Arson Attack in UK

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