Uncle was asked to store gun

THE uncle of the Keyham gunman told an inquest he was asked to look after Jake Davison’s shotgun – but the weapon was never left with him, writes Carl Eve.

Robert Chapman gave evidence at the inquest into the deaths of five people on August 12, 2021 – Maxine Davison, aged 51; Stephen Washington, 59; and Kate Shepherd, 66; as well as Lee Martyn, aged 43, and his three-year-old daughter, Sophie.

The killer, 22-year-old Jake Davison – who had first killed his mother, Maxine Davison, at their home in Biddick Drive, Keyham – went on to take his own life following his shooting spree.

Mr Chapman, brother of Maxine and Jake’s uncle, revealed that he himself was a firearms and shotgun certificate holder and had a number of weapons, having been shooting clays and game for many years.

He explained that Jake did not watch him shooting, but, when Jake and his brother and sister went on holiday to a farm, Mr Chapman would take his guns to do some shooting, but the children did not seem interested in it “like Jake did”.