He'd rather commit suicide than lose his millionaire lifestyle

Tycoon, who killed his family and burnt their home, had said...

Tycoon, who killed his family and burnt their home, had said...

A debt-ridden business tycoon had told his friends he would rather kill himself and his family than lose his millionaire lifestyle, an inquest heard yesterday.

Destroyed: Christopher, Jill and Kirstie Foster. The family's bodies were found in the remains of Osbaston House

Christopher Foster (50) is believed to have shot dead his wife, Jill (49) and daughter Kirstie (15) before setting his mansion ablaze. He died along with them.

In the months before the tragedy, Foster had told a business associate, Mark Bassett, he would not allow liquidators to have his home, cars and other trappings of luxury.

"Jesus, they're not having my stuff... I would top myself before that; they'll have to carry me out of the house in a box," he told Bassett.

Family won't cope

Bassett told the inquest, "He also told me he would not put Jill and Kirsty through a degrading change in lifestyle. He said they were used to a certain standard of living and would not be able to cope if they needed to take a few backward steps."

During another 'disturbing conversation' Foster had suggested he might wander down to the woods at the edge of his 16-acre estate with a gun and commit suicide. "He asked me to look after Jill and Kirstie in the event of him not being around," he added.

Bassett said he had taken the comments with "a pinch of salt".

The inquest heard that Jill and Kirstie were each shot once in the back of the head with a .22 rifle. Foster is thought to have died from smoke inhalation.

Pets killed too

The family's three horses and four dogs were also shot dead with the same rifle used to kill Jill and Kirstie.
The family's GP, Dr William Grech, revealed that Foster had confessed suicidal feelings to him over his business problems, but had refused to seek moral support from his wife.

Foster had assets of u00a33.1 million (Rs 23 crore), but debts of u00a34.4 million (Rs 32.5 crore). His former firm Ulva Ltd, responsible for insulation on oil rigs, had thrived for 10 years, but went into compulsory liquidation in September 2007.

'Vindictive'

Another friend of Foster's Peter Grkinic, said, Foster had also told him the only option might be for him "to disappear". "I asked him what he meant and he said, 'Do myself in'. I told him not to be such an idiot," he said.
Grkinic added, "I think he would have been vindictive enough or anti-liquidator enough to think, if I can't have it, they can't have it either.

The inquest into the deaths continues.