Lynn Mills

Lynn Mills was found shot in the head.

An open verdict was returned.

She had been with a 23-year-old man at his house in Wickham Way, Beckenham, whose gun it was, at the time, and had shortly before been kissing, cuddling and drinking with him.

It was said then that she took the gun from him and put it to her head and shot herself.

The 23-year-old man said that he had no licence for the revolver and that he had bought it to protect himself against burglars.

He said that on the night Lynn Mills was shot that they had been having a petting session at his home whilst his parents were away on holiday. He noted:

He said that whilst he was preparing to take Lynn Mills home that he loaded the revolver with one shot and that Lynn Mills then offered to hold the weapon whilst he went upstairs. He said that when he then came downstairs that he found her holding the gun and pointing it towards her head and that she then pulled the trigger.

He said:

The police were later quoted as having said that they were sure that her death had been an accident. A Scotland Yard official said:

Lynn Mills was then taken to hospital where she died twelve hours later.

The man later said:

Lynn Mills had lived in Middleton Avenue in Sidcup, Kent. She had spent the day with the man in the West End of London after which she had gone back to his house whilst his parents were on holiday in the South of France. They had got back to his place around midnight, having driven there in the man's Lotus Elite sports car. It was reported that the man's house was worth £20,000.

When the Coroner summed up, he said:

The Coroner added that it was clear that Lynn Mills had shot herself, but noted that there was no evidence that she had known that the revolver had been loaded.

However, he also commented on the drinking and petting session beforehand, saying:

It was also reported that following the inquest that the 23-year-old man and the man that he had bought the gun from were to be charged with offences related to possessing and transferring the gun under the Firearms Act. The 23-year-old man said that he had bought the revolver from another man, who also appeared at the inquest, for £7.  The man he had bought the gun from had lived in Wrottesley Road in Plumstead.

When the Coroner heard of the intent to make charges, he said: