Anthony Smith

Background

Anthony Smith was a former sergeant in the Coldstream Guards. He had left the Coldstream Guards five years before the incident and had joined the export department of Peugeot in Aldershot, Hampshire, before becoming a bodyguard in London. He had been a bodyguard after being offered the chance to use his military expertise working for a London-based security firm. As a Coldstream Guard, he had moved between Windsor Castle and St James’s Palace, London, carrying out ceremonial services for the Queen and the Prince of Wales. The regiment was based at Windsor and was described as the oldest continuously serving unit in the British Army.

Smith’s family had been living in Rowledge, a village near Farnham, Surrey, before moving to Camberley last June. He and his family later lived in a five-bedroomed red brick house on the Heathside Park estate in Camberley, Surrey. The house was situated on a private estate described as a 39-house estate behind iron gates.

The offence

Police believed Smith shot dead his two children, his wife, and then himself with a shotgun at their home in Camberley, Surrey. Police said they were investigating three murders and a suicide. A shotgun was found at the house, believed to be a 12-bore.

The bodies of the Smith family were found by police at their home in Camberley on the Monday after neighbours noticed that milk and post had not been collected all weekend. All four were discovered in separate rooms of their five-bedroom home on the Heathside Park estate.

Anthony Smith, his wife Kay, and their children were found shot. Post-mortem examinations were held on Monday night on Anthony Smith and his wife Kay, and on their children Adam and Gemma. The wife was described as being in her 30s. Anthony Smith was described as 34. Adam was described as five in one part of the account and as three in another part of the account. Gemma was described as three in one part of the account and as six in another part of the account. Police described the injuries sustained by the dead as “very tragic” and referenced the nature of the injuries.

Investigation

Police were alerted by concerned friends because the family had not been seen for the whole weekend and because newspapers and milk had been left on the doorstep. Police cordoned off the estate at 0930 GMT on Monday. Officers forcibly broke into the house and discovered the four bodies in separate rooms.

Detective Superintendent John Beavis said police were making inquiries and that the house was being forensically examined. He said: “We have no reason at this stage to believe anyone else was involved and it is likely that we are investigating three murders and a suicide.” He also said: “We have not formally identified the people concerned and we are making inquiries. "The house is being forensically examined and we are making inquiries with friends and family."” He further said: “We had a call from friends. There was concern that the family had not been seen for the whole weekend.” Beavis said: “We had to forcibly break in to the house and officers found two infants, a male and a female, inside. It is a very tragic scene. 'We are open-minded at the moment but we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the inquiry at this stage.'”

Describing the scene officers faced, Detective Superintendent John Beavis said: “It’s obviously a very tragic scene and set of circumstances that the officers are dealing with.” Neighbours were described as not having heard any shots.

Post-mortems were due to be carried out on the bodies. Inquests held after the family shooting were being held into the deaths.

Arrest

Police broke into the family house after they were alerted by concerned friends.

Trial

No trial details were provided.

Sentencing

No sentencing details were provided.

Appeals

No appeal details were provided.

Outcome

Surrey police said they were treating the deaths as three murders and a suicide. Police confirmed they were not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Aftermath

Inquests were held into the deaths of a former soldier, his wife and two young children found shot dead at their home in Surrey.

Kay’s parents, Robert and Norma Barkess of Houghton-le-Spring, near Sunderland, spoke about their “anger and loss” and said: “They were a happy couple - this is completely out of the blue. ”Kay was a loving daughter, we couldn’t ask for more and we got on well with Anthony.” Mr Barkess said they had last spoken to the family on Wednesday and that they had seemed fine. He said: “We had no idea anything was wrong. Although I was initially very angry, that has given way to a deep sense of loss.”

Smith’s brother Michael said he had everything to live for, stating: “He had everything, a beautiful home and a glittering career in the army,” and “He would have thought the world of his wife and kids. Something must have happened to trigger this.”

Jan Whatling, head teacher at Heather Ridge infant school, said Gemma had been a “normal little girl” who was settling into the school. She said: “Gemma's mother shared the school run with other parents and both her mother and father attended parent evenings,”.

A former neighbour in Rowledge, Graham Senior, said: “They were a lovely family. ”He was a big man in all ways. He was stockily built and was also a boisterous character, a bit of a lad. 'Tony always made out that he had lots of money and I wondered what he was doing around here. I never saw the Porsche that he bragged about. 'Kay was very quiet and often stayed at home although she would join him on his overseas trips to motorshows on behalf of Peugeot. 'He was a generous man and would always bring me back a bottle of wine when he went on a foreign trip. 'He used to like cooking and if ever he cooked too much he would pop next door to me and bring me a plate of food. For someone like me who lives alone, they were ideal neighbours.'” He said Mrs Smith did not want to move from the area because she wanted their son to stay at the same school. He added: “In the end they moved anyway,” and “Tony was a bit fed up with trying to find another place in Rowledge and settled for Camberley. 'However, it was a bit of a surprise because the house they lived in at Rowledge was very tiny and suddenly they moved to a big expensive house.'”

May Harris, the chairman of the Camberley estate's residents' association, said the couple were “adoring parents.” She said: “They were lovely little children and their parents worshipped them,” and “They were always out at the front of the house playing and would always smile and give you the time of day. It's a terrible tragedy.”

Pat Pearce, Mayor of Surrey Heath, who met the family last year, said: “I cannot imagine the state of mind he must have been. 'I am very shocked, amazed and horrified. It is sad that noone has helped the man before this happened.'”

The house was estimated as a £300,000 home and described elsewhere as a £350,000 home.

Smith’s job history included working in the export department of a Peugeot dealership that specialised in shipping military cars to international Army bases, and he left Peugeot after just six months when he was offered the chance to work as a bodyguard. He had been described as being popular, powerfully-built, and having once regaled people with tales of guarding the Queen, Prince Charles and other members of the Royal Family.