13/12/95 - STATEMENT of STEVEN JOHN ROGERS

NAME: STEVEN JOHN ROGERS
AGE / DATE OF BIRTH: 45 09081950

Who states:- This statement consisting of 000 pages, each signed by me, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated in it anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.

DATED: 131295
S J ROGERS (SIGNED)

I live at Nineacres Rettendon Common Essex. I would describe my home as a detached dwelling with three quarters of an acre of land containing four stables. We are in a valley surrounded by fields situated to the west of the A130 and west of the Wheatsheaf Public house.

At this time there are three horses and foal in our stables the foal is being weaned off its mother and therefore requires to be fed at all times of the day and night. I can say that it is not uncommon to hear gunshots during the day and early evening in this area although I am not a shooting person, I do not posses a gun.

During the evening of Wednesday 061295 I was working in our village hall I finished at the hall at 2245 hours returning home by 2300 hours. I then had sandwich and two cans of beer before going out to the stable to feed the foal. I would estimate the time to be 2345 hours.

I have to mix the food feed the animal and wait for the foal to finish which normally takes about half an hour. On this occasion I had given the foal some food and given some attention to the other horses. I would estimate the time to be about midnight or a few minutes later.

I was standing outside the stable when I heard a series of gun shots. These shots I believe came from a southerly direction. I walked to the fence at the rear of the stables trying to see where these shots could have come from. I saw nothing.

Although it was cold and very late if I had just heard two shots I wouldn't have taken much notice. I would have thought it was someone shooting rabbits. The gunshots I heard were more than two in number they were of a rapid fire. A fusillade of shots.

There was no pause to reload in between these shots were in a rapid succession. I couldn't say how many shots there were. I heard two shots I expected the noise to stop but it just continued. After these shots I didn't hear anything else. I remained out at the stables for about ten more minutes before returning to my home.

As I walked inside in the light of my hallway I checked my wristwatch and the time was 0030 hours (half past midnight). I didn't think any more about these gunshots until I heard people shooting in the area over the weekend. This prompted me to remember the unusual noise I had heard on Wednesday night and I reported the matter to the police.

S J ROGERS SIGNED
STATEMENT TAKEN PLACE:
TIME:
DATE: 131295
WITNESS TO SIGNATURE:
OFFICERS SIGNATURE: