Man shot his partner in the head before telling police she’d hurt herself with a pool cue

Carrie Slater died in hospital two days after being attacked by Richard Basson

Carrie Slater was shot in the head by her partner Richard Basson (Family Handout/PA Wire)

A man shot his partner in the head at their home in Leicestershire and claimed to police that her injuries had been caused by a pool cue.

Richard Basson was found guilty of murdering Carrie Slater on 21 September last year after he used a self-loading pistol to shoot her in their bedroom.

In a 999 recording, Basson told the call handler: “I stabbed her in the face with a pool cue but I didn’t mean to stab her, I meant like just warn her and like jab at her and she walked straight into it with her head down.”

When asked if he had stabbed her in the face, he responded: “I’ve hit her, I’ve hit her directly in the centre of the forehead and then it’s drifted off to her right, my left...”

He later confirmed that he had used the “brass-ended pool cue” to inflict her injuries.

Richard Basson claimed his partner had injured herself with a brass-ended pool cue (Leicestershire Police )

Upon arriving at their address, emergency services discovered Mrs Slater in a bedroom with a significant injury to the front of her head.

While resuscitation efforts were made, Basson remained outside the bungalow behaving erratically and refusing to co-operate with officers.

He did however admit responsibility for causing her injuries and was initially arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Upon arrival at hospital, scans revealed that her injury was in fact a gunshot wound, with officers discovering a self-loading pistol and four rounds of ammunition - two of which were spent - in their back garden.

Life support was withdrawn two days later, with Mrs Slater pronounced dead and Basson charged with her murder. Following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, he was found guilty and is due to be jailed on Wednesday.

Detective inspector Emma Matts, the senior investigating officer for the case, said: “My thoughts and condolences go out to Carrie’s family and loved ones, who I know are still struggling to come to terms with their loss and understand why Carrie was killed.

“Hopefully today’s outcome provides a degree of closure to those who were closest to her.

“Only Basson knows why he killed a woman he claimed to love. He’s never explained his actions. He’s never shown any remorse for killing another person.”