A man who killed his wife and daughter and had previously accused his partner of assault had made the allegation as part of his coercive controlling behaviour, police have now said.

George Pattison, who used to go to school in Kent, shot his wife, Epsom College head Emma Pattison and their daughter Lettie in February last year.

The 45-year-old headteacher and her seven-year-old daughter were found dead at their home within the grounds of the private boarding school in Surrey, alongside Mr Pattison who had also shot himself.

Mr Pattison had previously attended Barton Court Grammar School in Canterbury between 1994 and 2001.

His parents reportedly lived in Eythorne, near Dover, in the late 1990s where they ran the Post Office.

The Pattisons later moved to Sandwich, where they are said to have set up their own travel agency.

Evidence from Deborah Kirk, the sister of Mrs Pattison, was read at an inquest held last month.

She said she received a phone call from her sister just before 11pm on February 4, telling her that her husband had hit her and their dog, Bella.

In a recent report regarding the prevention of future deaths, it found that Mr Pattison had lied about his anxiety diagnosis in order to get his shotgun licence renewed.

The 39-year-old’s certificate for a firearm was originally issued by Surrey Police in 2012.

In 2016, Mr Pattison alleged that he had been assaulted by his wife and the licence was temporarily revoked.

No action was taken from these claims due to lack of evidence.

Police said after the killings there was “no reason” not to return his certificate and a renewal application in December 2016 was granted, along with another in 2022.

In a statement published yesterday (August 23), the force addressed the concerns raised in the prevention of future deaths report written by Senior Coroner Richard Travers.

Chief Superintendent Clive Davies said: “The allegation of assault made by Mr Pattison against Mrs Pattison in 2016 was investigated thoroughly at the time and coercive controlling behaviour (CCB) was not identified.

“Although Mrs Pattison never made any allegations of domestic abuse or coercive controlling behaviour against her husband, our understanding and response to CCB is significantly more advanced now, and our officers and staff are trained to recognise the signs of CCB, the homicide timeline and high-risk factors.

“Looked at through the lens of what ultimately happened, the incident in 2016 was clearly part of Mr Pattison’s controlling behaviour.

“The tragic deaths of Emma and Lettie draw attention to the need to dispel and challenge myths and stereotypes around who may or may not be victims of domestic abuse, and who indeed may be capable of causing such harm.

“Otherwise, we know that many victims will feel unable to reach out, and will continue to suffer in silence, while those causing harm in relationships are able to exist unchecked.

"I would urge anyone who believes they, or a friend or family member, may be experiencing abuse to report it.

“We know sometimes the signs that someone is suffering from domestic abuse can be subtle and difficult to spot.”