Killer had guns confiscated 3 years ago over fears of self-harm

A MAN who shot his partner and two other women before killing himself had his guns taken from him by police three years ago amid concerns for the state of his mind, it has emerged.

Taxi driver Michael Atherton, 42, successfully applied to have his weapons returned after his family had raised concerns that he had threatened to shoot himself in 2008.

Late on New Year’s Day police were called to his semi-detached house in Greenside Avenue, Horden, Peterlee, Durham, and found he had killed his 47-year-old partner, Susan McGoldrick, her sister, Alison Turnbull, 44, and her niece, Tanya Turnbull, 24, before taking his own life.

As the shooting began, a teenager, understood to be Mrs McGoldrick’s 19-year-old daughter, Laura, fled through an upstairs window and raised the alarm.

Labour MP Grahame Morris said outside the police cordon: “The issue is that in 2008 police responded to a call that there was a domestic argument and Mr Atherton had threatened to self-harm — to shoot himself.

“At the time the police took his firearms from him and he applied to have them returned. Police made an assessment and they were returned to him.”

Durham Police confirmed the weapons were taken from Atherton’s house as a precaution, but as he insisted there had been no threat to harm himself, the weapons were returned.

That decision followed national procedure, a force spokesman said.

“It was one person’s word against another,” he said.

“If there was no grounds for applying for the revocation of a firearms licence the guns would be returned to the firearms licence holder.”

Morris is calling for a review of firearms legislation in the light of the tragedy.

He said: “At the moment it is fairly subjective — the police are responsible for carrying out an assessment of whether an individual is a fit and proper person to hold a firearms licence.

“My view is there should be some input from a suitably qualified health care professional.

“Secondly, I also wonder whether it is reasonable to keep firearms in a domestic situation.”

The killings had echoes of Cumbrian gunman Derrick Bird’s 2010 rampage in which he murdered 12 people. Both Bird and Atherton were taxi drivers known to the police. In Bird’s case he was convicted of theft in 1990 but retained his shotgun licence.

It emerged that Atherton may have been at a traditional St Stephen’s Day dip in nearby Blackhall and appeared in good spirits.

Police said Atherton was out drinking locally on New Year’s Day separately from his partner, who was out with friends including sister Alison and niece Tanya.

“We believe Mr Atherton and Susan returned to their home separately and shortly afterwards an argument took place,” detective superintendent Paul Goundry said.

“Mr Atherton produced a shotgun and in a matter of moments shot dead Susan, Tanya and Alison before turning the gun on himself.”

All the women were found in the downstairs of the property.