Monster who shot girlfriend dead then spun evil web of lies to blame her for horror injuries is jailed for life
A MONSTER who shot his girlfriend dead then spun a web of lies to blame her for her horror injuries has been jailed for life.
Richard Basson, 45, blasted Carrie Salter in the forehead with an illegal handgun in Long Clawson, near Melton Mowbray.
He then phoned 999 where he was heard saying: “What are you going to say? You had a pole through your head”.
Basson also claimed the pair had a row over “half a cigarette” before she came at him with a carving knife.
He has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 32 years after being convicted of murder.
In a moving tribute, Carrie’s family said today: “There isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t think of Carrie – our beloved daughter, sister and auntie.
“We can’t put into words how we’re feeling and we’re still grieving for her. We’re pleased justice has been done and as a family, we can start to heal.
“We are grateful to the support we’ve received from friends and loved ones since Carrie was taken from us, but we know that nothing we say or do will bring her back.”
Leicester Crown Court heard Basson fired two live rounds from one of the three illegal firearms he held at the time.
One bullet hit a wall in the home, while the second struck Carrie in the middle of her head.
In a chilling 999 call, Basson told operators: “I stabbed her in the face with a pool cue but I didn’t mean to stab her, I meant like just warn her and like jab at her and she walked straight into it with her head down.”
The killer continued: “I’ve hit her, I’ve hit her directly in the centre of the forehead and then it’s drifted off to her right, my left…”
When asked what he used to stab her, Basson told 999 it was a “brass-ended pool cue”.
In his arrest footage, Basson continued his lies – fake crying as cops surround the couple’s home.
He then begs officers for a lighter before claiming Carrie came at him with a knife.
The killer was then bundled to the ground by officers after launching himself at one.
His lies unravelled when Carrie’s injuries showed she had been shot – with a bullet removed from her head during an autopsy.
Police also found the gun and two empty cartridges in the couple’s garden, as well as 68 rounds of live ammunition.
How you can get help:
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
Basson had previously been violent towards Carrie.
He was convicted of wounding in 2006 in relation to an incident a year earlier in which a man was stabbed.
Detective Inspector Emma Matts, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) major crime team, said: “My thoughts and condolences go out to Carrie’s family and loved ones, who I know are still struggling to come to terms with their loss and understand why Carrie was killed.
“Hopefully today’s outcome provides a degree of closure to those who were closest to her.
“Only Basson knows why he killed a woman he claimed to love. He’s never explained his actions. He’s never shown any remorse for killing another person.”