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A former police firearms instructor has been jailed for life this afternoon after being convicted of murdering his daughter's partner with a 12-bore shotgun.
David Hucker, 69, blasted Robert Williamson twice with a 12-bore shotgun after the pair argued at his home in Dartford in May. He will serve a minimum of 26 years’ imprisonment.
The deadly incident at Hucker's daughter's home was recorded as the victim was making a 999 call - and played to the jury.
David Hucker, 69, of Dartford Road, fired twice during a row over who was to live at the home which was owned by Hucker's daughter.
He had denied murdering Robert Williamson, who worked in construction and demolition during a row.
Maidstone Crown Court heard a recording of Hucker shouting: "I'll boot that door off" and as Mr Williamson is heard screaming after the first shot is fired.
He told the 999 operator: "He's just shot me in the ****** chest!"
The court heard how after his arrest Hucker said: "I used to be a firearms instructor for 40 years and worked for the City of London Police and what did I do, shoot the ******* son-in-law.
Prosecutor Nicholas Corsellis QC said: "These words speak for themselves. They reflect the fact that the defendant was enraged and intentionally killed his daughter’s partner."
He said that Mr Williamson had been visiting Hucker's house and was seen carrying boxes of possessions into it.
Today, as a judge jailed him for life, his heartbroken daughter Samantha Hucker told Maidstone Crown Court:"On the 11th of May my life stopped abruptly after being told of Robert getting killed.This has destroyed my life. Two figures in my life have been taken from me in the most despicable way."
In her victim impact statement, she said: "Robert was my love, my friend, my fiance, my comedian, my carer and the centre of my world. My life has been destroyed by this madness. I will never get over this.
"To my father who brought me up, the figurehead of my family, the person I looked up to for so many years - you took my Robert from me. My only question is why have you done it to me, your princess."
Referring to the two-week trial at which Miss Hucker gave evidence for the prosecution as being 'hard', she added: "I will always love you, your little girl."
Judge Philip St John Stevens ruled that Hucker will have to serve 26 years before he is eligible for parole after branding him as "arrogant" when his daughter's lover challenged him and then shot Mr Williamson.
He told him he had shown no contrition.
"You, with your 40-plus years of experience with a firearm, with your 40 years experience of teaching others and teaching safety, knew the effect that that firearm would have on another human being if it was discharged," he told Hucker.
"You walked up those stairs, Mr Williamson saw you with that gun and he must have been petrified. It was that that caused him to go into your bedroom, pick up the telephone and dial 999.
"It was then him saying you would never shoot again, questioning again something that was so important to you, that caused you to discharge that firearm not once, but twice.
"This was a cowardly and callous act of murder. It was your act, perhaps fuelled by your own arrogance, your disbelief that most of which you stood for could be called into question by Robert Williamson, effectively your son-in-law.
"I have no doubt that you intended to kill him..."
"It was not as a result of what he said that you killed him, it was because you couldn't accept that someone of just 43 could begin to question you.
"You couldn't accept his arrogance, you couldn't accept that he just wouldn't shut up. Perhaps your pride and arrogance went hand in hand, as your daughter said you were both Alpha males.
"I have no doubt that you intended to kill him."
Hucker showed no reaction as he was led away to begin his life sentence.
Speaking after sentencing, DCI Neil Kimber, Kent Police’s senior investigating officer for the case, said: "Mr Williamson was needlessly robbed of his life in an act of extreme, pre-meditated and senseless violence.
"While I am pleased we have now secured a conviction, I am saddened that Mr Williamson’s loved ones have had to relive these events in court.
"His death has had a profound impact on those that knew him, and our specialist officers have worked hard to provide them with the best possible support.
"I would also like to commend the actions of the call handler, who was presented with an exceptionally distressing call. Despite the challenges they had to contend with, they completed their duties with exceptional professionalism.
"Likewise, our attending officers were presented with a harrowing scene, but their diligence meant they were able to safely bring Hucker into custody and secure the scene."
