Police found a shotgun and ammunition among bales of hay at Brian Fraser's farm in Shadoxhurst

by Julia Roberts

A hunt master cleared of trying to kill his ex-lover after she dumped him has today been jailed for eight months for illegally owning a shotgun.

Contract farmer Brian Fraser had initially claimed he did not have a shotgun when questioned by police investigating the shooting of 54-year-old divorcee Louise Leggatt in March last year.

But following a tip-off by one of Mrs Leggatt's sons, the weapon was found under a hay bale at his farm in Criol Lane, Shadoxhurst, Ashford, together with 40 rounds of the correct calibre ammunition.

Maidstone Crown Court heard it was only when the 63-year-old joint master of Ashford Valley Hunt (pictured right on a hunt in 2005) was told his DNA had been found on the single-barrelled shotgun that he admitted it was his.

A jury acquitted him of attempted murder and an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent at a trial last month.

But today a judge told him that while he accepted Fraser was a hard-working man of previous good character, custody was inevitable for an offence of possessing a shotgun without a licence.

"The criminal law applies to everybody and the whole point of licensing those who possess firearms is so that the authorities know where those weapons are and that they are being kept and used responsibly," said Judge Charles Byers.

He added: "That gun could have been discovered by anyone. It could have been used in crime, it could have fallen into the hands of playing children and one can only imagine what would have happened if they had experimented with it."

The judge continued that he had put "out of his mind" the evidence he had heard in relation to the attempted murder trial and accepted Fraser would have been under strain during the proceedings.

But he concluded: "I cannot conceive a more serious case of its type. The public expect the highest controls over guns and ammunition, and rightly so, and a clear message must be sent to those who would hold firearms illegally that if they are discovered to be holding firearms illegally punishment will inevitably follow."

Fraser had pleaded guilty to the offence before the start of his trial. The court heard the gun and ammunition were found in an open barn. The ammunition had been given to Fraser by people for what was described as "services rendered" rather than purchased from a gunsmith.

Brian Fraser was cleared of attempting to murder showjumper Louise Leggatt, pictured right by Jim Bennett

Judge Byers said that to do so would have required Fraser producing a licence, something he did not have, nor had applied for.

"You kept that gun under a bale of hay in an open barn where it could have been discovered and used by anyone for any purpose," he added.

The judge added the fact the gun and correct ammunition were together was "very much" an aggravating feature of the case.

Fraser was also made subject to a restraining order preventing him from contacting either directly or indirectly Mrs Leggatt or any member of her family until further order. This was imposed until further order.

Ian Henderson, defending, told the court that Fraser was "paying the price" for his lax approach.

Arguing any prison sentence could be suspended, he said that there was no suggestion the gun had been used in any way that caused "danger to anyone" or caused "damage or injury".

Referring to the trial for attempted murder, Mr Henderson added: "He has faced for a lengthy period of time a very serious allegation and the prospect of possibly seeing out his days in custody.

"That is a matter which has borne heavily not just on him but those who have surrounded him. He has been serving some sort of sentence since his arrest and that cloud has been very much hanging over him until the matter was resolved."

During the trial it was alleged Fraser had lurked in bushes at night and shot the showjumper, with whom he had had a five-year relationship.

Mother-of-two Mrs Leggatt had previously suspected her former husband Philip Gorringe, 62, of burning down her home and believed he could be responsible for the shooting.

Mr Gorringe (pictured right) was arrested, but later released without charge. Fraser was then charged with attempted murder.

He first claimed he neither had a gun nor had gone out the evening Mrs Leggatt was gunned down.

But a shotgun was found in the barn and CCTV footage revealed he had driven out and returned at the crucial times.

She was renting a house at Apple Pie Farm in Benenden after her house next door was torched two months earlier.